Mood: Nostalgic

"A real friend is the one who walks in when everyone else walks out."- Anon

Today is a beautiful day; the sun is shining, birds are chirping, and the weather is lovely. As I'm sitting in the backyard enjoying this beautiful weather, so many memories are flowing back to me, especially ones of my best friend for life. For me, a good friend is like a really good pair of shoes; always there when you need them and with a bond that is ever-lasting. Well, I share more than a bond with this girl; it's a mental, spiritual and emotional connection with her. As we were growing up, my mum often said that we must be sharing a brain or else, since we are so much alike and to think even for a second that I might have never met her, is the weirdest thing to me. If my parents had never gotten divorced, then me and my mum would have never moved to Canada and I would have never met her; in a way, I guess, thanks Mum and Dad!

The weirdest part about our relationship is it feels like we've known each other all of our lives; which is ironic in a way. She had this friend back in kindergarden who, apparently looked exactly like me, had my name and she was her best friend back then. And I remember so vividly her asking me over and over again, in the first months of our friendship, if I was sure I didn't go to her kindergarden; she was adamant on the idea that I was her old best friend. To this day, that part of the mystery, that is her kindergarden friend and where she has disappeared to, has never been elucidated but it almost feels like I was meant to cross her path.

Then this whirlwind also known as our friendship began. We used to live 5 minutes away from each other; we had oh-so many classes in school together; and we spent most of our high school years together. I remember sitting in class, and being dyslexic I sometimes had trouble reading out loud and our 10th grade teacher asked me to read a chapter of Lord of the Flies or the Chrysalids, I can't remember which one it was. Anywho, I fumbled on a word; so instead of saying "assuaged" I said "assuajaded" and to this day, she still laughs hysterically at that while imitating my teacher's face at my fumble. I remember her LITERALLY pushing me into my doorway because my neighbor was coming out of the house with his dog and she has a phobia of dogs. I remember us busting Michael Jackson in her parent's car and singing so loud at red lights to scare people off. I remember sitting at our McDs (we stalked it all the time, so it became our hangout spot; I know very lame) trying to find boys we could flirt with. I remember just sitting in her basement watching so many episodes of Friends. I remember how into clubbing we were when we finally turned 18 and had to cross the bridge to go to Gatineau (a town across Ottawa but that was on the Quebec side since Ottawa's legal age is 19)just so we could party. I remember her yawning like a dog (You just had to be there) or yelling some random dude's name in the street and seeing him look around, then look up to the sky as if God was calling him.

She always has been my main support through all my relationship dramas and God knows I've had my share; and even when I leave my hometown either to go back to Africa, to my roots or deciding to move to Europe, she has always supported me. She is the kind of person I'd be able to call at 4'oclock in the morning and I know she'd be there. She is the kind of person who planned a trip to Europe to visit not only the main cities, but also me. I know that even if we haven't spoken for months on end, whenever we do talk, it'll be like none of those months passed and we'll pick our conversation right where we left it off. The word "Friend" doesn't even begin to describe her and what she means to me. She's my "Ride or Die" Chick; she's my sister. And obviously, you can tell I miss her a great load. So here's a doodie I wrote for you. Until the day I get to see her face to face, it's been almost a year!

xox