2002-12-14 - 8:59 p.m.
Yesterday was so busy that I did not manage to write. I hope you missed me.
RECONNECTING
The voice on the phone came out of the past. I had a moment before I picked up the phone to overcome some of my surprise. Mr. Philately had gotten to the phone first and I heard his surprise. I also heard his �hello� and the name of the person who got the �hello.� The name was as distinctive as it always was.
Taiwanese names are distinctive in this country. So are lots of other names but this name is Taiwanese. Not Japanese, not Chinese, Taiwanese. The name of a person whose ancestors were on Taiwan before the Japanese and Chinese came by. Living with her for three years drilled the differences into my head. It also taught me to stir frozen orange juice (and lots of other things) with chopsticks and created the conditions that still occasionally cause my husband to call me �Elliebob.� When three girls end their day by calling out �Goodnight, so-and-so� to each other, it does get to sound a lot like the old television show, �The Waltons.�
It�s been approximately twenty years since we left law school and each other as roommates. I�ve had five different roommates (not counting Mr. Philately) who left a lasting impression. Two of them taught me rough lessons. Three of them taught me the joys of a good roommate. W was one of the best and we were together for all three years of law school.
After law school, we fell victim to the problem that occurs when two women who truly enjoy each other as friends marry men who don�t mesh with each other. We drifted away and apart even before I moved halfway across the country. Still, we had occasional contact until she and her husband moved to Hong Kong for a while. I knew she had moved back and I knew she was in Brooklyn but Brooklyn is a big place.
And then came the call. Sure, the occasion for the call was our law school�s desire for money but we got that part of the call finished quickly. I had sent the school a check during the week. But the occasion didn�t matter. In a way we did not when we lived closer and were closer to law school, we connected again. To the extent possible in a short call, we caught up on the last ten years of life. We spoke of children and husbands and careers and computers. Then we exchanged e-mail addresses and I hope we really use them.
Reconnecting with an old friend sure adds fun to a day.
LAST YEAR: The Puzzle Called Day-Hay
LAST FIVE ENTRIES:
Reducing Swelling
Nobility
Full Out
Spoiled Wives
Tradition Continues(although if you check my guestbook you may find it almost didn�t)
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Copyright 2006 by Ellen |
