On The Road Again

I haven't been this geeked about going home in a long time.

I mean don't get me wrong- I LOVE Chicago. It's hard to describe my affection for Chicago but it's my hometown.

I love everything about Chicago (except the weather).

Especially the weather. I've never known 4 seasons until I moved to Virginia--heck I didn't know Spring and Fall existed until 2005.

Naturally there will be stories--two of the "Four Musketeers" will be in Chicago (Me, Best Friend with my name, and ATL Best Friend)-- San Antonio BF can't make it.

We haven't been to Chicago-at the same time- in years. It's usually 2 or 3 of us in Chicago at the same time- and never the same combination lol

I have 7 people that I consider best friends--my best friends are more than just friends to me--they are family. These 7 people are the closest thing to people really knowing me because each person is completely different- yet the same.

Each person is also very special to me.

I know I am not the easiest person to get along with--my stubbornness is legendary and cutting people off is not hard for me to do. I also know that I can be a real bitch sometimes--hey it's acknowledged and understood.

I've grown up with these people- hell these friends remember skinny, awkward, goofy me. Since I did look like the stereotypical nerd (wardrobe aside) I was very self-conscious. I still am (sometimes).

Recently (via Face book--It has its sweet moments) I found my old best friend.

Now not that long ago, I found my other elementary best friend. We connected but naturally time and other circumstances changed things so we're not as cool as I thought we would be. We've talked on the phone a few times but...it's just not there anymore.

Through her I found out that our other mutual best friend was alive and well, has a child, blah blah, however they are no longer friends. Considering that these two ladies were best friends long before I came in the picture--I was shocked. Sure from what I remember, they always fought like an old married couple but I was very surprised to learn they were no longer friends--especially when I've reconnected with one.

Call me silly but I had visions of our old friendship reconnecting as if we've never lost touch after Freshman year of High School.

Based on how her tone of voice was and the fact that they were no longer friends (I naturally assumed that she erased numbers as I do), I did not ask for the other friend's number.

Lo and behold a couple of weeks ago--I received a friend request from this best friend.

I won't take credit--it took a bored night on face book to find the 1st friend and although there were several people with the same name none had pictures so I had to wait until someone posted a picture (I was NOT going to be lame and send messages to ALL those girls fishing to see if one was my friend).

However due to the diligence of another friend from elementary school (who I believe found almost everyone on face book (even an old teacher) from our elementary school) it was confirmed that I was, well, me.

For the record--naturally my last name has changed and I look NOTHING like I did in elementary school. Ya girl has filled up and out--and my hair is combed lol

And yes I was a lame--I was tooooooo happy!!

We exchanged numbers and called each other within minutes.

And honestly--it was like nothing has changed.

We picked right up where we left off (after hours of catch up that is).

It was funny because she commented that I am still the same person from elementary school. She was worried that I had changed but she was like the moment I said her childhood nickname--she began cheesing.

Not that we ended our friendship on bad terms--a dispute over a phone charge meant the end of our house phone. Not to mention we all went to different high schools. And in typical Chicago fashion--we didn't go into each other neighborhoods.

Ok well that's not entirely true--when I lost my phone, my mother was still super strict on my movements--basically I could only ride the bus alone to and from school.

And since I still have a bad memory when it comes to phone numbers, eventually I lost their numbers.

I did meet 3 of my future best friends however- and I guess the rest is history.

However I never forgot those two friends and it was always a series of events that prevented us from meeting up as we became adults. I knew people who went to both of their high schools, but as I figured, they operated on the outside of high school hierarchy (same as I) so while people "knew" them, they didn't "know" them.

I found out why they fell out--well one side of the story.

I have yet to catch up with the other to hear her side.

--I like to hear both sides of the story. One thing I don't do is play favoritism--right is right and wrong is wrong in my book.

I won't lie--what I heard deeply disturbed me--and made me very sad. From what I understand, this friend has led a life that makes me clutch my pearls. It is not the person that I knew--but again we lost touch just as we were getting interested in boys...and life.

And I'm unsure on how to proceed because based on the stories that I was told--how do you simply state "yes, you've done all of that" when most people would deny deny deny?

For example- I heard this friend sleeps with all of her "friends" boyfriends and take some type of sick pleasure in doing it.

And this is among other stuff that I was told.

I had the childish hope of reconnecting the two, thinking that they had a petty argument--but it is clear that that is not the case.

I am excited about seeing this friend face to face.

The Kid has returned to the Chi