Tuesdays with Debbie

I love Tuesday nights. It is the night when I get to sit with my girlfriend Debbie and just yap about anything and everything.

The funny thing is that Debbie and I are extremely different – and yet the same.

I met Debbie when I was working at B & N. She was the Head Cashier, and I was a little peon, slaving away at whatever hours they gave me. She was this quiet, unobtrusive, sweet girl (you can see why I said we were different as can be), a recently graduate and transplant from NY. She was still settling into the non-exciting life of Kansas, adjusting to the flatness and calmness of the Midwest.

I was not from the same felt as her. I was almost 8 years her senior, married with kids and full of life experience and, well – not wisdom, but something like that. Maybe it’s being full of examples of what not to do when someone was confronted with the same situation. I was forthright, outspoken and I laughed – a lot.

I think I scared her when she met me. She was often looking at me with eyes as big as pancakes because of some outrageous, forward, openly honest thing I declared out loud.
She once asked me how I could speak so frankly. I looked at her with bewilderment, wondering how one could not.

It was a perfect match of yin and yang from that moment forward.

I love learning from her, getting her views on work, life, church, books, movies, and everything else in between. She is a great teacher of patience, kindness and virtue. Plus, she makes really good cookies.

I don’t know if she learns anything as useful from me, except reviews on books - movies, what joy can come from sharing a bowl of cookie dough, what it takes to raise kids, and that speaking the truth gets you a whole lot further a whole lot faster than if you wait for someone to read your mind. And she has had an opportunity to laugh, even if it is at my expense. I can live with that.

I am sad because I know this time of pure enjoyment is coming to an end. She will most likely be moving to NY to be with her man. As pleased as I am for her in that adventure and future happiness, I know it will leave me with a void, for I know that my Tuesdays will be lacking in mirth and delight as they are filled now.

And who else will listen to my advice and not roll her eyes at me? Yep, I am missing her already.

So before she leaves me high and dry, let me just say this:

Here’s to Debbie, my gab buddy. Thanks for all your time, laughter and friendship. I shall miss our weekly therapy. You will always hold a dear, cherished place in my heart.

Tuesdays just won’t be the same without you.

And when you come back to visit, your place of honor on the couch will be waiting, just for you, along with the cookie dough, of course.