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I've know her for as long as I can remember, and I have a very good memory. If I can remember something for more than an minute or two, then I'll remember it forever.

The very first memory I have of her, was the time I smashed her foot with a cabinet door. I couldn't have been more than three. In fact, that is the earliest memory I have. I told her that if she didn't stop bothering me, I would smash her foot with the door. She didn't, I did.

When we were young we played together, sometimes just the two of us, other times with friends. For the most part we were inseparable.

As time went on, we travelled together, looked out for each other, were roommates for a short time, I even took a bath with her once or twice. Don't know what happened to the pictures though.

But as we got older, we began to grow apart. She became ... ... I'll say "cranky" just to be nice.

We had our separate friends and things just weren't the same anymore. She didn't want much to do with me, was barely civil most of the time, but especially when her friends were around.

I tried to be nice and a little bit friendly, but it just kept getting worse, until I just decided to give up altogether. It was obvious she didn't want anything to do with me, and I could certainly get by without her help.

Things went on like this for quite a few years, when one day, I don't even remember when, we ended up talking again. Kind of reconnected.

It might have been that we were older, more mature, or just that she finally outgrew the "cranky" thing.

We talked once about the years we had lost, but never were able to understand exactly what had happened. Only that she thought I didn't like her, and I thought she was "cranky".

Over the next couple of years, we spent a lot of time together, alone as well as with mutual friends. Her friends became my friends, and my friends, hers.

It seemed if we weren't busy with school or work, we were together. Watching television until the wee hours, or getting a coffee and a bite to eat at Ho Jo's. Going places or just goofing off.

People commented that we resembled each other, but neither of us could see it. We laughed a lot during those times.

Then she moved away. Fifteen-hundred miles away. I only saw her a couple of times over the next few years. I attended her wedding in New Orleans, and she returned once alone to attend a funeral.

I was pretty excited when I heard that she was going to move back to New England with her husband. At least then there would be a chance that I might see her occasionally.

I did meet up with them shortly after they returned, and saw them occasionally, but by now we both had our own separate lives.

That was all a long time ago, and over the years we have remained in contact. Laughing and celebrating the good times, lending an ear and supporting each other through the bad.

I suspect the friendship we have now will continue as is. I don't think either of us would have it any other way at this point.

We don't see each other all that often, but when we do, it's always a good time. We just know each other so well. I can't remember the last time we got together and didn't end up laughing until it hurt.

Most recently, I stopped by her house on my way home from the airport. We went to get some stones for a garden that she was laying out in her yard, and then she took me out to lunch.

We ate big, just two hours before I was supposed to meet a date for dinner. I was so distracted with her presence that I had lost all track of time, and only realized what I had done as we were waiting for the check.

I recently told her about this blog. As a courtesy, I usually CC people that I mention in emails, or let them know if I've included them in a story.

Naturally, I was curious what she thought as I value her opinion, so I asked her for some feedback.

Did she like it? Was I finished, or did I need to do some more work on the ending.

She didn't like the ending, so I did an rewrite and asked again.

She comes back with, "It's better!!!! Keep working!!!" A direct quote, with all those exclamation points too!

What a bitch ...
... I thought I was finished.