Old Friends

Old friends, old friends,
Sat on their parkbench like bookends
A newspaper blown through the grass
Falls on the round toes
of the high shoes of the old friends

Old friends, winter companions, the old men
Lost in their overcoats, waiting for the sun
The sounds of the city sifting through trees
Settles like dust on the shoulders of the old friends

Can you imagine us years from today,
Sharing a parkbench quietly
How terribly strange to be seventy

Old friends, memory brushes the same years,
Silently sharing the same fears
---Lyrics to "Old Friends" by Simon and Garfunkle

When we first met, Vicki (the top picture with her husband, Don)and I were in our early teens; when Phyl (the second picture with new man, Pat) and I met we weren't yet twenty. Now we're all over fifty (not that we look it-heh!) and meeting up yesterday, the years fell away. The years have changed us; a couple of us have changed partners, changed lifestyles, changed states. But it didn't matter as we fell into the easy banter that comes from years of familiarity. Oh sure, there was tons of catching up to do, but sitting there while catching up it felt like we had seen each just a few weeks ago instead of what? Fifteen year for Vic and I?

So we're already making plans to try to get together for a girl's night out when Don and Vicki get back up to town in a couple of weeks. Then we can really talk--you know, all that witchy, gossipy, raunchy stuff you can't say in front of the men-grin! I can't wait.