An Old Friend

Indulge me.

When I was around 8 and 9 years old I had a friend named Heather. Heather and I used to hang out a lot. She was a year younger than me, right now I can't remember how we met each other. I just know that to me now, it seems like she just appeared in my life one day. She was all lanky arms and legs and blond hair. 

Heather went on vacation with me a lot. My grandparents used to take me to Kings Dominion in Virginia a lot and she went with us a few times. The first time she was going with us I made the mistake of approaching my grandmother in the kitchen while she was doing dishes. I asked her if it would be ok if her and papa could maybe not smoke so much in the car on the way there since I wasn't sure if Heather came from a smoking family (especially since they didn't like to roll the windows down). Well that was a terrible mistake on my part. My grandmother chewed me out right there in the kitchen with a soapy plate in her hand. 

Anyways, I moved from that little town in North Carolina when I was 9 and moved to Alabama (which, btw ROLL TIDE!). I never saw Heather again. Since it was early 1993 there was no easy way to keep in contact. Long distance phone charges kept us from calling, there was no internet at that time. 

So fast forward almost exactly 20 years to today at lunch time. My mom and I work together and we popped out to a little burger place up the road for lunch. When we were leaving a woman at a near by table stopped me and said I looked familiar. I'm an idiot. Here's out conversation and the reason why I'm an idiot:

Her: You look really familiar. What's your name?
Me: ...Jessica...
Her: Did you ever live in Williamston?
Me (hesitantly): yeah. A long time ago.
Her: Did you play with a little girl named Heather?
Me: Yes.... Are you Heather?!
**Ok let's stop right there for a second. Who the fuck else would it be? I mean seriously. I am attributing my idiocy to shock/surprise.**
Her: Yes!
**She didn't say "duh you moron" so she's still as nice as I remember.**

So after legit 20 years she recognized me! I would have never recognized her. If she sat down in front of me and said "You know me, now tell me my name" and gave me 12 hours to figure it out I'd never get it. I did some drugs back in my late teens early twenties ok? Gimme a break. 

She even asked how my sister was. She remembered that my mom was pregnant when we moved AND THAT IT WAS A GIRL. I am a horrible person for not remembering her. 

But we exchanged numbers and have already made arrangements to have dinner next week! I'm pretty excited about it.