Phase One

Phase one
It’s hard to describe relationships that build slowly over the years. People that you might, or might not seek out; you end up growing fond of. And they like you. That’s all there is. You are friends.
I remember, years ago, when my wife was going out of town with some friends for a week. I remarked to my group of ladies, over lunch, that while my wife was away, I would have trouble matching the right ties to what I was wearing. L said, “Don’t you worry. While she is away, just considers us as your office wives. Bring the ties in and we will help you pick out the right one.’
I liked that term, ‘Office Wives’. It just means that there would be ladies watching over me, making sure that I behave, that I dress well. (And whack me on the arm, if I misbehave)

A different lady called me her ‘Office brother’. (but I think that was just so she could whack me with impunity)

LP is one of my favorites. We began working together over ten years ago. (I had the advantage of remembering that I meet her, for all of fifteen minutes. Interesting that she did not remember me.) She in the East, me in the West. She would ask work questions, and I would explain by weaving a story or fairytale around the answer. It was fun, between work stuff, telling each other about our lives.

And then there was KM.(aka the Daughter-twin) She worked on the other coast. One day she called with a question. She was new. Since she worked the later shift, most of her shift overlapped mine. We used to chat a lot. KM would sometimes call when she was bored. So we became friends. The beauty of it was, we had no idea what the other looked like!
After two years of this, I managed a business trip to the East coast and we actually met.
Amusing, you reach a point where you are friends with someone. It really doesn’t matter what you look like. If one of you is older, younger, taller, shorter, lighter, darker. You are friends with the person.

So, there are friends that live close by, friends that live far away. Some friends you never meet.

And that’s phase one.