ANOTHER SPECIAL PERSON

We met in 6th grade. She was a good friend from the beginning. We went to confirmation together.

She shaved her legs first and the razor took the top layer of skin on the bone from the ankle to the knee. She bled.

Once we made a cake, we forgot about it and threw the cake and the pan in the woods so her mother wouldn't find out. How did she know? We worked hard to get all the crust out of it.

The lived in the country two miles west and then again a couple of miles north. She has an older sister that married their second cousin by marriage and a younger sister we called "Chickie".

We would change clothes when we got to school. Mother caught on some how. Too bad, it was fun to share. Once we went to S&L, on the corner of LaBree and Third. We bought red and green plaid pants. We also tried on all the hats in the millinery department. All mother said was, "You wear them once, every one will remember those pants." It was an odd choice but we thought they were great. Have you ever tried on hats and laughed so hard you nearly wet your pants? We did.

Her grand parents lived in the forest like setting near Pinewood, MN. Her grandmother smoked Pall Malls as she cooked. Her grandfather was a noble, white haired man who went to the spring several times a day to get a bottle of home brew which was tied to shore bottle by bottle.

We crawled up a ladder nailed to the wall to an open attic where we slept on the floor. It was much like camping. She had a cousin named Bobby who was older but oh, so fine.

Speaking of So Fine, it was one of many of my records that melted in the back window of Aunt Shirley's 56 Chevy that summer.

My friend married early and we took different paths. I wonder where she is and I wonder how she is.

Happy birthday!