The Bloody Doors Off

Talking about Mid earlier, got me thinking about friendships.

The first best friend I ever had, was Doug. He lived across the street from me. We went to school together, came home and ate lunches together, made up stupid TV shows, played baseball, built forts.

We drifted when it came time for high school. I was off to Cedarbrae and he was headed to Woburn.

They were natural frenemies.

Suddenly the gulf between both sides of the street seemed insurmountable.

Wait. No. That’s not right.

I remember getting drunk at his high school party. Coming home and falling asleep on the toilet.

In a house with one bathroom.

Eventually Larry built a second one.

I don’t think it’s because I locked myself in the bathroom and passed out.

We worked as Housemen (glorified cleaners) at Howard Johnson’s.

I was at his wedding.

The same one I’d had a dream Alison and I argued over her flirting with a friend of mine and we ended up married.

I went to his wedding. With Alison. We had a fight because she flirted with my friend George.

We all know how that ended.

We were friends into our early 20s. I guess we drifted after that.

I did get to invite him and his wife to our engagement party; sadly they couldn’t make it in town for the wedding.

My next best friend was someone I never met.

Melissa. Mid.

Emma.

(For Emma Thompson. We nicknamed each other for our favourite actor during the late nineties/early aughts.)

(I guess it wasn’t such a long story.)

Mid and I met on a Canadian improv group’s message board. (Who never wrote me back, btw. Rude.)

She reached out. Said hello.

I said bonjour.

Mid thought I was French. I dissuaded her of that notion pretty quick.

We began writing each other. I was at work, and would read/write emails in between jobs. Working midnights, I had a lot of free time on my hands.

A couple of times we spoke on the phone. One time at New Year’s.

Never met.

She was the (first) sister I never had.

Mid helped me stay sober. She saw me through relationships and break-ups.

We had a word. No matter where we were in the world, if we ever ran into one another.

To be absolutely sure it was us.

Geek.

I know. I shouldn’t admit that. It was our code word.

But it’s been 30 years.

I wonder if she still has the Holly GoLightly Barbie doll I sent her for Christmas that one year.

During my 20s, she was my best friend.

And I don’t think I ever told her.