Lifelong Friends

Discussion in 'Other Reminiscences' started by Frank Sanoica, Sep 15, 2018.

  1. Frank Sanoica

    Frank Sanoica Supreme Member
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    Have you any? I have nearly none, except Charlie, who grew up in Cicero, IL, while I was born in Berwyn, next suburb west of Cicero, which bordered on Chicago.

    I think we met in English Class, 2nd. year, but not sure. We shared a number of classes together, we both being technically-minded, and placed in classes by advisors accordingly. My own parents had little understanding of WTH I ought to study in HS. So, I foundered, based on advisor's advice. Charlie excelled in class grade-wise, while I did mainly "B's" and "A's", mostly.

    I hardly recall talking to him much back then, as we lived far apart, he in Cicero, me in berwyn. After I got a car, I recall going to his house at least twice. His Grandma (father's mother) was living with them, and his Mother seemed strange and detached. (she did some time I learned later, in a "mental lockup", forgive the term).

    Charlie is the ONLY person from back in those high school days who has bothered to stay in touch with me. Indeed, in 1979, he was "best man" at our wedding in Vegas, and accompanied us on a trip to see the great wonders of Utah, Zion, Arches, Capitol Reef. If one can love a friend, I surely love Charlie.

    This coming Monday morning, Charlie will bound off a plane here at our local airport; we will observe the process from above, in the parking lot. We will have almost 5 days together........and I will wonder, as I always do, will this be the last time............I fear it will, but hope it won't!!!!!

    Frank
     
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  2. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    Lifelong, no. My best friends from elementary school were my cousins but we drifted apart during high school and never got together again. We're friendly enough when we see one another every twenty years or so, but I am friendly with only one of them really, and I talk to his younger sister more often now, as she's on Facebook and he isn't. People I knew since elementary school who I am still in touch with weren't close friends of mine while we were in school, and I am in touch with them now only because they are on Facebook. While I wasn't a loner, I didn't make any close friends in high school. Probably my longest friend who I am still close to, although I haven't actually seen him since the 1980s, is a guy I rented three different apartments with while living in California. Oddly enough, he moved to Texas a couple of years after I left Texas. His wife hunted me down; yes, through Facebook.
     
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  3. Beatrice Taylor

    Beatrice Taylor Veteran Member
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    Two people from high school that I rarely see and one for the last 35 plus years.

    In all three cases when we do see each other we pick up where we left off with no awkward period of adjustment.

    It always makes me a little wistful when I see them because our friendships and memories were formed when we were so young, healthy and carefree.
     
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  4. Ken N Louis

    Ken N Louis Veteran Member
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    3 friends over 50 years.. Different States...
     
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  5. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
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    I consider my five sisters and three brothers to be my life long friends as my family moved so often that most of the time we didn't have time to form the intimacy of friendship relationships with others that last a life time. My best friend outside of my siblings has been my best friend since we were both 17 years old and though we see each other maybe once a year (sometimes not even that much) we still keep in touch in other ways and when we are together physically it's just like we were never apart. She lives in El Salvador but hopefully in the next year or two she will be moving back to the US for good.

    My siblings all used to live here in Louisiana and we were always together doing one thing or sharing another thing. Now I have two brothers here and everyone else has scattered to other states. I still consider them and my daughters my best friends because we have shared our lives in intimacy with each through the good and the bad and know that no matter what we will always be there for one another if need be.
     
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  6. Frank Sanoica

    Frank Sanoica Supreme Member
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    Their last full day here, gone awry! Plan was, Vonda's son Jarrod and his ladyfriend would take a bus tour to Grand Canyon West, Charlie and Sandy would bring Vonda to our place about noon, where Charlie could look over my new shop digs, then we all would go to AVI Resort for dinner. On the way to our house, their rental car, a Hyundai, displayed low tire pressure, and several trouble icons unrelated turned on in the instrument panel. Nervous by nature, he arrived here in a tizzie!

    I aired up the offending tire, which was not dangerously low, and we all rode to dinner in our Explorer. They called Avis from the restaurant, and received very untactfully worded advice: do not drive it too far, or get charged for ruining the tire. The trouble icons were ignored. We drove the two vehicles to the rental agency at the airport, which was by then closed. Key and a report dropped in lock-box, car left there.

    So, they are safely tucked in at the Riverside for the night, prepared to return tomorrow morning to South Bend, IN, from which Vonda and Jarrod will drive home to Columbia City, and Chuck Sandy will drive the longer trip back to Chicago. He called me a few minutes ago, thanking us again, and assuring us they would be back again!

    Jarrod sent some intriguing photos taken on a helicopter trip down into the Canyon! Spectacular! Frank
     
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  7. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    I guess one could say that yes, I have had some life long friends. Their lives were not long enough but I remember them well.
     
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