A Writing Experiment

[tswyk]

I've been doing this as writing exercise and I thought that there might be others who would enjoy it. I'll pose a question - or a set of questions - every day or so, and you can reply - here in public, or even just for yourself.

Some answers will be short and to the point, others will start a train of thought that will expand and grow right here before our very eyes!

We'll learn something about each other - and ourselves, too.



t


Who were your best childhood friends?
What do you remember about them?
Are you still in touch with them?

 

[medjay]

Who were your best childhood friends?
What do you remember about them?
Are you still in touch with them?

My boys Patrick and Shemron were the main ones. We raised a lot of hell in the '80's. I remember pulling out the old cardboard boxes and breakdancing on the El platforms while wearing red and black parachute pants (!)

Not in touch with either of them anymore. Patrick went to prison several years ago and Shemron is M.I.A.

All my other childhood friends are either dead, in jail, or just living life. I never see any of them.

 

[BgMma]

I didn't have many friends when I was a child.

I remember they always told me I was very strange.

A few of them are dead. A few are in jail. The rest, I have no clue.

 

[tswyk]

My oldest and dearest was L. He and I met in kindergarten and graduated HS together. He and our other buddy, Larry and I would ride our bikes for hours and hours at a time. He was the first person I ever smoked a cig with, the first boy to ever send me Valentine's candy (3rd grade, I still have the pink heart-shaped box!) and my most stable friend.

I remember being in Miss Hoy's kindergarten class with him. There was this huge magnolia tree outside and we'd play hide-and-seek under it. Once I wore little white "go-go" boots and we played like we were rock stars. There were plays and games and nap time and cookie breaks and playing doctor and cowboys and indians and Star Trek and so much more.

As we grew older, our paths parted, but managed to cross every once in a while. We were even roommates - PLATONIC - for a year while he was in art school and I was working on getting over a broken heart.

We still keep up with each other - I probably saw him a year or so ago. I was back home and we met for lunch, and SEVERAL margaritas and just trashed all our old friends.

Whenever we're together, it only takes a minute to get "back in the groove."

L - I miss you, buddy

 

[Ishmael]

My oldest and dearest friend dates from after high school. Being a service brat I never attended any one school, or lived in the same neighborhood, long enough to make those sorts of friends. There are many that I still communicate with but they are more in the nature of close acqaintances.

I met 'D' after high school and before I went in the service. By all rights we should have never hit it off. I was logical and directed, he was a dreamer. But hit it off we did.

Our lives continually crossed paths. After the service I returned to Miami and we started running together. I moved to D.C., he moved to New York City. We got together twice a month. I'd drive there one weekend, he'd come to D.C. two weeks later.

I moved back to Miami, he moved back to Miami. He moved to New Mexico, I moved to New Mexico. I moved back to Miami, he moved back to Maimi. None of this was planned. Job and career changes but the coincidence (fate?) was not to be denied.

We are still within two hours of each other and keep in touch on a regular basis.

But more importantly we did all the crazy things together that young men do. We watched each others marriages come about, and fail. We patted the other on the back, and kicked each others ass when needed. I value his judgement and opinions because he his some one that can look at my life from the outside and in many cases see things that I am blind to. And when he sees these things he tells me about them, as a friend but he pulls no punches. And he seeks the same from me as well.

Our lives have gone in many directions over the years but the friendship is a constant. From me he learned logic, from him I learned to dream.

I guess that you could say he's my male 'soul mate'.

Ishmael

 

[BgMma]

My oldest and dearest friend dates from after high school. Being a service brat I never attended any one school, or lived in the same neighborhood, long enough to make those sorts of friends. There are many that I still communicate with but they are more in the nature of close acqaintances.

I met 'D' after high school and before I went in the service. By all rights we should have never hit it off. I was logical and directed, he was a dreamer. But hit it off we did.

Our lives continually crossed paths. After the service I returned to Miami and we started running together. I moved to D.C., he moved to New York City. We got together twice a month. I'd drive there one weekend, he'd come to D.C. two weeks later.

I moved back to Miami, he moved back to Miami. He moved to New Mexico, I moved to New Mexico. I moved back to Miami, he moved back to Maimi. None of this was planned. Job and career changes but the coincidence (fate?) was not to be denied.

We are still within two hours of each other and keep in touch on a regular basis.

But more importantly we did all the crazy things together that young men do. We watched each others marriages come about, and fail. We patted the other on the back, and kicked each others ass when needed. I value his judgement and opinions because he his some one that can look at my life from the outside and in many cases see things that I am blind to. And when he sees these things he tells me about them, as a friend but he pulls no punches. And he seeks the same from me as well.

Our lives have gone in many directions over the years but the friendship is a constant. From me he learned logic, from him I learned to dream.

I guess that you could say he's my male 'soul mate'.

Ishmael

That is pretty deep, Ish. I enjoyed that very much. And I am not being sarcastic!

 

[Pyper]

My oldest friend and I met in third grade. I beat her in the school spelling contest, and all her friends starting spreading rumors that I cheated (how can you cheat in a spelling contest?). The next day at lunch my friends came running up to me telling me that she had stuck her tongue out at me, the gravest insult a third-grader can commit. Well, I was as even-tempered then as I am now, so I didn't really care. After that, I don't really remember why, we were best friends.

She goes to a different university, although we see each other on all the holidays. I feel us growing apart somewhat...I think I am more worldy and as I mature faster, we begin to understand each other less.

 

[tswyk]

Thanks to all for responding...I have the sudden urge to start making calls to all those old friends!

 

[LukkyKnight]

"Don't Cry"

Don't be so hard on yourself.
Those tears are for someone else.
I hear your voice on the phone.
I hear you feel so alone.

When we were young,
And truth was paramount.
We were older then,
And we lived our life without any doubt.
Those memories,
They seem so long ago.
What's become of them? When you feel like me I want you to know.

Today I dreamed,
Of friends I had before.
And I wonder why.
The ones who care don't call anymore.
My feelings hurt.
But you know I overcome the pain.
And I'm stronger now,
There can't be a fire unless there's a flame.

Don't cry.
You're not alone.
Don't cry,
Tonight, my baby.
Don't cry.
You'll always be loved.
Don't cry oh...
Limousines and sycophants,
Don't leave me now,
Cause I'm afraid what you've done to me.
Is now the wolf.
In my bed,
In my head.

The challenges, we took were hard enough.
They get harder now.
Even when we think that we've had enough.
Don't feel alone,
Cause it's I you understand.
I'm your sedative,
Take a piece of me whenever you can.

Don't cry.... you're not alone.
...don't be so hard on yourself...
Don't cry.... tonight my baby
...Those tears are for.....someone else...
Don't cry.... you'll always be loved
...I hear your voice on the phone...
Don't cry.... tonight sweet baby
...I hear you feel... so alone.
Don't cry... don't cry... don't cry... don't you cry...

 

[tswyk]

Thank you, Sir Knight!

 

[eastTNbbw]

Hey Tswyk

Great questions...

My best childhood friends were Pat, Kathy, and Mark. We only make contact when we bump into one another or through family members. And since I no longer live in that area, the contact is pretty much non existent.

But seeing the questions and thinking brought back wonderful childhood memories of snowball fights, hide and seek, kickball, and just sitting around talking and goofing off. Sometimes, just sometimes, it would be so cool to revisit those days one more time.

Thanks for reminding me about the good ole days
Candy

 

[tswyk]

girlfriend!

 

[eastTNbbw]

It's great....

to think of the old friends and exciting to make new ones. And I have made some really cool new friends.

Only a few more days til you are settled in to the new town for good huh?

 

[tswyk]

Re: It's great....

Only a few more days til you are settled in to the new town for good huh?

Yes...and then we'll have a girl's weekend and see what kind of trouble WE can get into!!!!



Leaving us with funny stories to tell when we're 76....

 

[MissTaken]

My best childhood freind was the Prom Queen and I was in charge of the decorations. She was the captain of the cheerleading squad and I was the scorekeeper for the basketball team. She had the perfect bod, straight A's and beautiful strawberry blonde hair. I was a bit heavy, straight A's and had an unmanagable mess of curls. She was popular for all the upper middle class reasons. I was well liked for being just me. There was no resentment between us. IT was just the way it was.

Her family took me under their wing as I was that "poor girl from the broken home." Even as a child, I hated such derrogatory sentiments. I was just me.

We went to college together, at which time, her parents broke up. She floundered through, I kept her afloat.

Now, I haven't seen her in ten years. I do run into her mother from time to time. We have the same paths, in different areas. Maybe someday we will get together again.

My oldest and dearest friend is my mother. Yes, that broken home thing had it's benefits. We worked together to raise my brothers and found respect and freindship in the process. I have never been one to make many "girlfriends" and I believe that the reason is because in measuring other women up to my mom, few can carry the ball.

 

[eastTNbbw]

Uh Oh!!!

Yes...and then we'll have a girl's weekend and see what kind of trouble WE can get into!!!!



Leaving us with funny stories to tell when we're 76....

That's if I can remember anything when I'm 76

 

[tswyk]

Thanks for sharing, MissT


Hugs


t



And don't you worry, Candybaby...we'll have pictures to remind us!!!!

 

[eastTNbbw]

And don't you worry, Candybaby...we'll have pictures to remind us!!!!

YIKES!!! But will they be black and white? I love b/w pics....lol.

Guess we need to let others share their childhood friendships and look forward to new ones. Take care Tswyk

 

[LC Rough Caress]

Who were your best childhood friends?
What do you remember about them?
Are you still in touch with them?

My best childhood friends were Josh and Jessica. When I moved into the neighborhood, all three were already living there. I was about five years old at the time, so I don't remember the vivid details about our first meeting, but I remember that we had some great adventures together. We lived right by the bay, so we spent a lot of time playing down by the water, swimming and running through the grass. Our neighborhood was small and sorrounded by a lot of forest and wilderness, so we spent hours exploring the backwoods.

Josh was my best friend before he moved out of the neighborhood. I spent many, many nights at his house and we did everything together: tag team video games, building forts to defend ourselves against the forces of evil, and simply enjoying life. He was always something of a country bumpkin, but he enjoyed the simple things in life and he knew what he wanted.

Jessica was the miss priss of our gang, the one who everyone thought would go far and do great things. Although she could be somewhat stuck up at times, she was a real sweetheart, and we usually got along real well. While she was very much a girl, she could also be a real tomboy at times. I had a big crush on her for years, but Josh ended up going out with her before I did.

The last time I talked with Josh was when he got married this past August. He had moved out of the neighborhood about a year before I went into my senior year in high school. We still got together from time to time, but we just eventually drifted apart since he lived so far away. Now that the wedding is over, I doubt I'll ever see him again, even by chance, until I take my turn to walk down the aisle.

I still see Jessica from time to time, since we live in the same town. It's not too often since we don't run in the same circles. She got married in our senior year, and was divorced before her first anniversary. She hooked up with some other guy and moved into an apartment with him and another friend of our's from high school.

Whenever I see them, we smile and wave and maybe stop to make small talk. We're not close like we once were. Thinking about it now, I always thought that Josh and, especially, Jessica, would be the ones to go places and do things. Now it seems like they're stuck here, while I'm the one off pursuing the great ambitions. We'll never have anything in common again, and I doubt we'll ever be as close as we once were.

I suppose this is what they mean when thay say "You can never go back home."

 

[tswyk]

Thank you, LC -


'nite all!

 

[tswyk]

*bump* for the morning crew!

 

[theGatsby]

My oldest friend was a girl I knew from pre-school. We grew up together going to the same schools all the way up until college. We went through a phase when we picked on each other constantly. Equal rivals in class and battles of wit, that when the other was gone really stung, but would never show it. In highschool our friendship grew stronger.

We really connected one Friday night when I pulled her from the back of a car while her brutish boyfriend was off taking a piss. He had slipped her a ruffie and had less than honorable intentions. I locked her in my car just in time to take a nice beating from the asshole. He blacked both eyes, and broke my nose, before I managed to hyperextend his knee. She called me her guardian with the push button toe from there out.

We often played, toying on the edge of taking our friendship to the next level. Nights when we spread out over her couch or mine watching old movies on TV, or days when we would leave campus for lunch and take a long walk through the woods instead. Nothing ever happened. Not even a kiss. I was her rock, and she was my foundation. We vented, and cried, and laughed our way through our highschool romances knowing that no matter what we had each other. We actually had planned to go to senior prom together until 1 week before we both started seeing other people. As it turns out we both broke up with our dates either that night (as in my case) or the next day.

We kept in touch through the first years of college. Seeing each other on breaks, calling every once in a while. Then she started seeing a new guy. This was much more intense. He was older (26 at the time I think) and I started getting really involved in theater. She got married, I got consumed by my life at school. We saw each other once right after my graduation. I met her son, she met my girlfriend. I heard about a couple years ago that she had divorced. I hope she is well.

 

[tswyk]

G -

Your story touched me - you should look her up, you know...

 

[tswyk]

Round II

What pets did you have as a child?
What were their names?
How special were they to you?
Do you have a special memory including them?



I'll be posting my little ditty latter today - Happy Wednesday to all!

 

[perks]

Re: Round II

What pets did you have as a child?
What were their names?
How special were they to you?
Do you have a special memory including them?

The first pet I remember is a great dane named Brutus. My mom had started seeing this guy and it was his dog. He later became my Dad. When that dog died, it was the first time I saw him cry.

Then the next pets I had were when I lived in Lagos, Nigeria. My dad had pigeons there. I had a lizard named Oscar who was killed with bugspray by our maid who was also my nanny and the first wife of my dad's number one bodyguard. That man saved my father's life and has a machete scar across his face to prove it.
I had a spider monkey named Twinkle. I had to give him up when we came to the states. We had these rabbits too. Unfortunately they were food rabbits and I didn't understand that, so I would always let them go free. Well the way they raise the bunnies over there for food, is they let their nails grow really long and curl around the cages so they can't move much. If you let them free they don't live very long, because they can't move to get food. I think I killed two bunnies that way.
I also had a parrot and a bushdog called Sergeant. He was more of the dog of the whole compound, but I fed him.

Back in the states my parents got on the Norwegian Elkhound kick. The first one we bought I got to name, and thus he became "Rudie Kazoodie" He got hit by a car and is buried behind our house.

My mom got twin norwegian elkhounds after that. Those were some mean dogs, I didn't like them very much. Angel and Apple, Apple ran away and when we had to go to Brazil, the neighbors with the farm in back of us took angel. She ended up dying of old age.

When we got back from Brazil we didn't have a pet for awhile, but eventually we decided to get another dog. This dog, that I will be telling you about is my favorite dog ever. He was an English Mastiff and we named him Creed after the little boy Creed Allen from that book made TV show Christy. Mom read that book to Dad and I one winter, we didn't have TV.
Anyway, when they went to pick out the dog, he was in the back away from the other puppies chewing on a toy, well that toy happened to be a cinderblock. *laughing* I can't imagine why they picked a known chewer, but they ended up paying for it.

Creed was huge. If he stood up on his hind legs he was well over seven feet tall. He was 235 pounds and my dad who used to play college ball, could spread his hand over the top of creed's skull and just touch both ears.

He was my snuggle dog and my babysitter. If someone would come over and get out of their car, He wouldn't let them near me. He went after this one guy, had him stuck on the roof of his car for three hours before my parents got home. I was 11. The guy wasn't happy, but the dog knew he was an asshole. Two years later that guy got arrested for molestation.

That dog used to go to the farm in back of us, and try to get frisky with the horses. He'd get kicked in the head and go back for more. He used to eat grass with them too, but that's just not as funny.

I held him when he died. His stomach flipped, as is known to happen in large dogs. I still miss that dog.

Years went by and finally we decided to get another dog. We ended up getting two great danes. I named mine Caspian after Prince Caspian of the Chronicles of Narnia and Dad named his Hawk, after some Stallone movie <insert rolly eyes>. Anyway, I was going away to college two years later, my dad was diagnosed with MS and was having problems walking so we had to send the dogs to the Great Dane Rescue. They're both doing well, still.

I've had one more pet since then, she was my baby. I named her chef. She was a rottie/pit bull mix. The vet had to put her down because she had some sort of defect, where her brain was still growing, but her skull stopped growing, and she was biting people. That was the saddest thing I think I've ever seen.

I'm not sure I'll ever have a dog again. I'd love to, but it's so hard to let them go.

That, and I don't have to wear doghair now.