Too noisy today for my regular table

I think they were bandies (members of the Upper Arlington High School Band) having a good time, but it was too noisy to read, so I moved to another part of the store. There I overheard some men talking about friends and relatives they love, but don't understand because they voted for Obama.

"My brother and sister-in-law are very liberal--we no longer discuss politics. They have an expensive car, nice home, but they cheat on their taxes. Drives my mother crazy."

How many years is it?

At first I thought it was 1974, so that would make this a tidy 35 years we've been meeting for coffee, but then we began tracking where our daughters were in pre-school when we met at First Community Church Harried Housewives Bible study group, so we think it's been since 1972. In either case, that's a lot of girl talk.

Coffee with a not so old Friend

We got together for coffee recently. We both live close enough to Panera's to walk. We are both retired--I in 2000 and she in 2004. I haven't missed work a single day, but she's having a bit more of a struggle--misses "her kids." I've lived in the community for 37 years, and she grew up here. I've been a member of the church since 1976 and she is a charter member. But when she mentioned her best friend in high school, I said, "but she used to baby sit for us."

When she was 18, I was 28. We were worlds apart. I was changing diapers, shopping for groceries, making the dollars stretch for wallpaper and drapes for the new house, feeling the oldest I've ever felt in my life--wondering where had life gone. She was going to football games, planning for college, looking forward with excitement to all that was to come. And now, that 10 years doesn't make much difference at all.