You've Got A Friend

Sometimes, Facebook is so full of lies and deceit that it makes a person wonder what this world is coming to. Other times, it feels like a big room full of people you know and love, and everyone is just sitting around talking and laughing. In my mind's eye, I see Randy Houk on the couch, laid back and grinning like the Cheshire Cat, just chillin'. He's impressing the ladies with his wit, and some roll their eyes toward the heavens but others see in him what a good boyfriend he'd make.  Hey, he'd keep 'em laughing, riiiiight? He is Seven Year Ache, did you not know that?!  I see Terri Crawford-Schell running around all crazy, laughing like a wild hyena and making all the boys in the room kiss her square on the lips!!! I see Kaylan N Ashton throwin' down in the kitchen, cooking up something people either WANNA try because they trust them, or too skeerd to try, you know, what with all the exotic stuff they be doin' to their food. Disaster or masterpiece? You decide!  No, you decide.  No, I said YOU decide.  It's like a conversation on a throwback wall phone with a long, tangled cord, and you are fighting with someone to hang up first.  

I see Ashley Boswell perched on a groovy bag filled with beans, smiling, but nobody best cross that one or else you'll never live it down!  She might drive yer car into the lake, so don't start none, won't be none.  I see every creeper creepin' too, nonchalantly making their way about the room, spying hard on people and listening to conversations that don't even pertain to them!  With their big heads and nosey arses! I can hear Brandi Elizabeth McGee just a-cussin' up a storm, when really, no cuss words are necessary. Heck, she's just tryin' to make her damn point! Like me, she loves them kids of hers but some days she wants to duct tape 'em to the wallllll.  I see Daye Greene over in the corner, drank in one hand and mic in the other, making everybody laugh who might be paying him any attention. His wife is here, too.  She pretty much came along to keep him in line and see what all the fuss is about!  When he's not looking, though, she's watching him.  Damenica and Daye, they've got something special.  They are both good kids, and we could all learn valuable things from them.  They're doing life the right way, those two.  

I see Barbara Belden Wilson tripping on the extension cord running out from the mic Daye has a death grip on, on her way across the room to talk to Amanda Darnell Pierce, whom we can always count on for a razor sharp comeback. My sweet friend, Felicia Wallace, just got here and she is scanning  the room for a face that is familiar to her.  FeFe is just so well meaning and sweet, but I realize I already said that, but I just can't help myself.  I see Melody Wood, the very Voice of Reason itself. She's all about that yin and yang, and if you ask her for advice you can bet she'll deliver a conscientious, balanced answer, and I love her for that because she's never let emotions be her guide.  But don't get it twisted because she will cut yewww if she needs to.  She even knows the difference between a transmission and an engine, and I have always had a huge admiration of her for that because, well, if it starts up and runs, then as far as I'm concerned I really don't need to know any of the details.  I couldn't remember them anyways, so....!  I see Lesley Riley on the floor, ya'll, just going through her coupon stash because she's just awesome and productive like that with life.  She don't mess around, and she will line you out, that's for sure! Shooooot, not only is she poring over all that money she's about to save on boxed skillet dinners, but she's also managing to somehow get her kids to eat stuff other kids *hate*, like veggies!  She's juggling a baby, for Pete's sake, AND that stellar budget, y'all.  Annnnnnd, she doesn't even have to raise her pretty little head! It's as if she just commands it once and maybe, just maybe, has to cut her eyes at her kids to let them know she means business, and it just happens...effortlessly.  I see Shiloh Freeman and she's just so relaxed, visiting with all the mommas in the room. She's been there and done that, bless her heart, so not much scares her and she just refuses to get worked up about things anymore, pretty much!  Instead, she prays and dives into the Word of God on the daily, maybe even on the hourly.  I can tell when she's overwhelmed because she takes in a deep breath silently, gracefully regrouping. Calm, cool, collected even when she does not feel that way.  I see Kylah Downing with a smuggled-in Zima with a watermelon Jolly Rancher dropped down into the bottle, just 'cuz she's Old School cool like that.  

Carrie Ann Dick is the gal you never want to make eye contact with because she might try to pedal That There Thrive on you, and because how can you say "no" to someone that incredible and genuinely sweet?! Homegirl just wants everybody to feel like she does.  Well, Carrie and Peter Frampton, both.  I see Chandee Hawk helping to beautifully set up the finger foods and punch table. "Hand me that stack of napkins, wouldja please?" she would ask patiently.  And then, "Thank ya, Sister!!!!" after she got what she needed. If you're lucky, she'll wink at you as she uses her manners.  I see Josh Wooten, and he's in his own bluesy world, so don't go trying to kill that musical buzz for him by yakking about some nonsense!!  He will block you, dude, 'cuz he's extremely choosy about those he associates himself with, so don't even risk it, man.  Like our Senior 1995 class T-shirt read, We're Not Snobs, We're Just Better Than You!! He knows it, and he owns it, so GO HIM!!!

I see Cathy Wolfe Burgess on the sidelines, doing a cheer for us because we were ALL "her kids" at some point or another in school, and she wants us all to make the best decisions and choose good choices because she loves us THAT much.  Once our teacher, but always our friend.   Oooh, and look there, Jamie Puckett just walked in and if the look on her face is any indication of her mood, then you just best get down to the nitty gritty and then get outta her way because she's fixing to get doooowwwwwwwn.  She gives a cool nod to my girl, Kim Stroman, who's picking up after all these slobs in the room with us.  She's not your maid or your mother, but that woman loves her a clean home and you could probably feel safe eating off her floors.  I see Amanda Holmes Webster and she's a cross between Debbie Downer and everyone's pushy Jewish mother, but that is why we love her so, that and because she ain't afraid to get her hands dirty!  You need a job done?  She's your girl.  You need her to grab you some Panda Express because you have a craving for some 8 Treasure Chicken?  Amanda is reliable and always pulls through, even if she's not feeling 100%.  And that Kim Vaughan Parrett?  You guys, I wish she could adopt me.  How weird would that be, 'cuz, like, I'm in my forties, you know?  Plus, that's just normally soooo not how that whole process works.  But it's true.  That lady told me one time that in the middle of the night when I can't sleep, that I needed to talk to God about stuff.  I tried it out, took her advice, and lemme tell youuuuu, IT WORKED!  Well, that combined with bay leaves and about 100 mg of Benadryl.  (Yeah, I know.)  Anyway, I needed to hear that, and I needed to hear that from HER, so when she told me what she did, a very wounded part of me, healed.  For that, I am eternally grateful...because it was no accident, you see.  

Something else that isn't an accident is the fact that Kaci Hurd is here.  Kaci's personality and mine are so much alike, it's unreal.  You see, I don't feel so bad about my craziness when I read Kaci's posts.  I don't feel alone in my craziness, rather.  She's sick about all the germs in this world, too, and we both carry spoons in our purses and aren't afraid to use them, either!  Probably a loaded weapon under our seats when we take vacations, too, but sssssshhhhh, 'cuz that's inappropriate and controversial.  That Kaci!  She's a live wire just like I am, but when you see her with her kids there's not a doubt in your mind of just how pure of heart she is.  It's too bad Kaci and my sista from anotha motha, Bekki Hayes Davis, are over there trying to be slick and spike the punch bowl right under Chandee's nose!!!  I see Kaci throw her head of beautiful dark hair back as she laughs, a twinkle of orneriness in her eye.  Bekki turns to me with that adorable mad-face look, and her brow furrows cartoonlike just like mine, and she yells at me over the music, "LIZ!!  Do you have the damn heat on??!"  

Amanda Copeland Harper and Angela Sherman are over at the card table dancing it out in a conversation about God countered with the macabre, and you don't dare interrupt them because you ain't tryna get that heavy tonight!  Tiffanie Freeman and MelBakes are in the corner drinking Sprite and dishing about pastry decoration techniques, but neither of 'em brought any goodies tonight, shooot, it's their night off.  You read that right --KITCHEN'S CLOSED.  No freebies here, folks, no freebies here!  Move around now!  And Tony Winefield is wearing maroon wind pants and talkin' sports and stats with anyone who's up for THAT exhausting challenge.  There's a pack of chickens over in the corner, trying to lay some eggs before we all get hungry for breakfast, and I think they might belong to Hannah Wickham, but I'm not too for sure. 

You guys, Kevin Koscelny is the lucky leprechaun in the room, and he's talking politics and corruption with John Woolman, who has just been busy with life and trying to make a difference in the lives of others, exposing to the Facebook Masses truths and his humble wisdom on taking his kids school clothes shopping to fascinating football talk and other stuff non-sportsminded people like me don't understand, but sooooo wish we did.  Like so very many our age, he's trying to live out his purpose, too.  I see LaRonna, too, and she's a real joy to see tonight because she is just so helpful.  She always has positive things to speak about people and looks for the best in errrr'body.  And when she sneezes, I always think of a doormouse sneeze because she's just adorable like that!  I see Christi Rainwater Horner passing around a donation hat for a book drive to get books into homes of children in Nowata County who otherwise wouldn't have any, because she just has a lot of love in her heart and wants to do God's work by helping the less fortunate, especially where childhood literacy and equality are concerned.  Certainly can't blame her for that.  In fact, we CELEBRATE her for that! Yes, we are glad she is here with us tonight.  

I see many more of my friends here in this room.  Do you want to know where I am?  Why, I'm over in the corner with the record player and the CDs, and I'm running the music.  Only, I have ADD-like tendencies so I tend to get sidetracked or bored and don't let any of the songs finish, not ever, before ripping the needle on another dang song!!  I'd best watch out, too, because I'm getting the evil eye from fokes who feel the strange need to listen to the whole entire song!  Shucks, y'all, I will even take requests and dedications, JUST like they used to do on the K107 and Z104.5 back in the good 'ol days.  Oh, and do you like my outfit?  'Cuz Alisha Renee helped me put it together.  That little lady knows her way around fashion, I mean really!  She's smart as a whip, too.  Don't ever underestimate her because she will clean the floor with you, and walk away in her high heels, never missing a beat and surely never breaking a sweat. 

Aaaaah.  The night is still young!  Just like Back When, ever so often, I'll get out in the middle of the living room and start me a line dance.  You just take your pick, sweetie, and chances are I'll know the entire choreography.  Can't remember what I did 20 minutes ago, but I CAN remember how to get my bus stop and Reggae Cowboy on like Donkey Kong in a thong, fokes!  I do not play around when it comes to music and dance.  Or food, but that's a whole 'nother ballgame.  You either feel it in your soul, or you don't.  And if you don't, then perhaps you need to exit the building because you have no business here, but that is just my two cents and it sure does not amount to much!  Jason Crawford will see you out now.  Bye, Felicia.

I like nights like this one, April 12, 2018, when everyone is basically cooperating and life is good for so many.  You know, when we can talk grown-folks talk but we're all getting along because we know the value of respecting others.  I have soooo many more friends in this room I have nice things to say about, but I'm sure if you've already read your name in this post then you don't really want to read about anybody else because, well, time management.  BUT:  I want to say that I care about all my friends and want the absolute best for everybody's circumstances, including my own.  I'm finding that as I get older, life has become less about impressing people and being a "yes" person, and more about being true to oneself and raising up decent, kind humans along the journey.  If your babies happen to have fur instead, then you teach them not to bite others and don't be inappropriate by sniffing someone's crotch when they make a new friend.  That's some important social etiquette, fur parents, so props to ya'll!  I'm finding an enriched, happier life is, however, all about helping those who need it, and not necessarily because they have asked, but rather maybe because they are kind of in the same season of life that you are, or where you have been previously.  Each day I wake up and continually see these people in my newsfeed, and soooo many more friends, too.  You guys all make me a better person.  I enjoy reading about your families, seeing pictures, reading what you have written.  I enjoy honest talk about various topics floating around out there; it is almost like we are having a conversation without ever leaving the house.  It is like we are all gathered together, just visiting and just being REAL, for once.  Exchanging information and allowing others to enlighten us.  Life's too short to be hateful and judgemental, and it is very liberating to have grown up enough that I am able to see past a lot of things that really did use to hang me up.  What's that song, Let It Go?  I honestly have, so much, and I love all of my friends, not just the ones I have mentioned in this piece.  Each of you bring to the table very different points of view, and I think that is such a refreshing thing!

Thank you ALL for making my days brighter, even when the sun outside is not shining.  You may not have realized this, but my connections with you all have blessed me beyond measure and in ways you probably can never imagine.  <3