Your oldest friendships

[Suzi Q]

So how old are your oldest friendships? And what do you think sustained them for all those years?

For me, I have two closest friendships that go back almost 35 years. One girl I met when I was 8, the other when I was 14 and we are all direct opposites of eachother. One was raised in a household barely able to make ends meet, the other from a very wealthy family. They studied all through high school, I was the party animal who dropped out at 16, and became at mom at 18. They were present for my daughter's birth, watched her and I both grow up, were at 2 of my 3 weddings, and at my daughter's wedding. They were getting a college education in their 20's, I was raising a child and climbing the corporate ladder. Now, all of us in our early 40's are still on different paths-me pursuing a college education, one climbing the corporate ladder and trying desparately for a child, the other stuck on the ladder and trying desparately to find a husband. The fact that we have NEVER been at the same point in our respective lives has made both of these friendships endure through everything; we have all lived through each level at one time or another and can lend so much insight to another that hasn't. They are the first ones I call with good news and the first I call when I have a nervous meltdown and as I get older I am really beginning to cherish both of these women.
So what about you?

[TexasStooge]

Very interesting topic Suzi.

One of my oldest friendships is with one of my friends from church, his name is Jordan Palmer, I first met him at church back in the mid 90s. Whenever my mom makes her car payments, we sometimes play around at his dad's auto shop.

My 2nd to oldest is with Evan Bringas, the grand-son of a now retired apartment manager. Every summer he would come down here and we just talk about some stuff that happened at school, play around the apartments, go to the movies, etc.

My 3rd to oldest is with Jason Duncan back in 1997. He is currently in a wheelchair, because he has Muscular Dystrophy and can't really speak well. Overall, he's a loving and intelligent student. Nowadays since we're at separate high schools, I would go to his place every week.

[BocaGirl]

[quote="Suzi Q"]So how old are your oldest friendships? And what do you think sustained them for all those years?[/quote]

All through grade school, junior high and high school, I had a good friend named Carol. She was much bigger physically than I was and she more than a little bossy. I spent a lot of time following her around, doing what we now call "damage control" - she didn't mean it, she's sorry, that kind of stuff.......Carol always spoke her mind!

Still, she was an incredibly good friend to me. No one ever sassed or bossed me when Carol was around and when there was trouble or problems in my life, I used Carol's shoulder. She was there with me the day my grandmother died.

When we went to college, Carol and I drifted apart. I always remembered her though. One of son's favorite stories about my teen years was how we sneaked her father's car out of the garage one Saturday afternoon, drove it to downtown Pittsburgh and then smashed it trying to park at the parking garage at Kaufmann's Department Store.

Anyway, last year I was doing some research for a project and was making a few calls. Imagine my surprise when Carol turned up as one of my potential interviews. (I thought it might be her because she uses her maiden name professionally.) When I called, she sounded just the same as she had years before. In fact, she almost hung up on me. I had a hard time convincing her I wasn't trying to sell her anything.

Once she realized it was me, we both started to cry. I cried the hardest when she said "I can still see your mother's face." My mother has been dead for a long time and sometimes I have a hard time visualizing her.

Her story was interesting. After bouncing around the country for years, Carol and her husband settled down in South Florida-a few miles from my home! We've been close friends ever since that call. It's almost like our friendship didn't have a 25 year gap!

BocaGirl
Barbara

[azskyman]

Thanks to the internet, I have been able to rekindle "conversational" relationships with some of my high school friends (1960-1964). In fact, I bought breakfast for one who visited me just last May. These are people who have many stories to tell...but mostly stories in storage not wanting to be told...they reflect our youthful and misguided behavior. One of them is a professor of Geography at a college in Vermont. The other is a professor of biology at a college in Maryland. A third one, the more colorful member of our clique, is a retired plumber. What a gas he is!!! LOL.

I have also rekindled friendships with several friends from Vietnam (1970) and more recently from my years in Illinois.

My most prized friend from grade school is still someone whose friendship I value greatly, but who has gone through some very hard personal times over the years.

A friend I've known the longest has moved to Queen Creek, Arizona. We have met him and his wife for lunch once in the last three years they have been here. He and I attended kindergarten together, but we have less in common than the others I mentioned (maybe that's because I have never known him to not have a beer in his hand).

Friends are priceless in many ways. Real friends are those with whom you can pick up a conversation as though you had never left. I am lucky to have a lot of them and the internet keeps our relationships tied together.

One of my best friends these days is also my right hand man at work. Tom is a terrific guy both personally and professionally. I count him among the many blessings that have come into my life since moving to Arizona in 1997.

Last and not least...I have internet friends in the Netherlands, the UK, and elsewhere...all of whom are important to me as friends and acquaintances in the same way you are to me on Storm2k.

Amen for friendships.

[george_r_1961]

Seemed I had a lot of "friends" when I spent my off time in the bars making Anheuser Busch rich. Well 4 years ago i changed my lifestyle and rarely see these people anymore. A couple have stuck by me though..these two i have known for 18 years now. We dont go out much or anything but we do visit. Heck I work too much to do anything else.