In August, I wrote this birthday post to a friend who goes WAY back to the days of yore, otherwise known as middle school. In it, I mentioned our long lost friend, Todd; and wrote that if by some chance he ever came across it that he should leave a comment with his e-mail address so that we can get back in touch after 20 years.
Two weeks ago today, on what just so happened to be HIS birthday, his sister Google'd his name, came across the post and told him, "Some people are talking about you." That night, he & I were basically reconnected with the click of a button. After a couple of email exchanges, we were on the phone a few nights later. For 3 hours. Picking up right where we left off. Like it was yesterday. Good old Google!
In middle school (and I'm happy to report, still to this day!) Todd's bawdy sense of humor and ability to flirt with ease meant that every one of us girls adored him in such a way that we all wanted to hug him and love him and squeeze him and call him George. He was THAT cute.
If you remember (or 'remember-ize', which is a brand new word he made up tonight during our conversation, a hybrid of 'remember' and 'memorize') back in the 80's, "Stud Muffin" was the thing to call a hot dude, or any guy who had a harem of girls surrounding him at all times. Todd was both, except he was small--like a breakfast sandwich--so I started calling him McMuffin and for the remainder of 8th grade it stuck. 
Before *McDreamy or **McSteamy there was McMuffin. How about that? I've been coming up with gems like this for 20 years! {*McDreamy and **McSteamy refer to character nicknames for 2 incredibly hot doctors on the show Grey's Anatomy. You know, in case you have been living under a rock and don't already know that.}
Like last week's marathon phone call, tonight's two-hour talk-fest featured comedic moments a-plenty, filled to capacity with exchanged one-liners and loads of sarcasm, which is really the only way to ever keep me on the phone (and laughing my ass off) for that long. Near the end of our conversation I was asking him where he had traveled for work this week, and the next thing you know, we're having a baby together:
Todd: Hey, I was in your time zone today! Could you feel it?
Me: Aww, I wish I would have known that ahead of time. Maybe then I wouldn't have forgotten to shave my legs this morning. Although, now that you mention it, today DID feel different from all the other days over the past 20 years. It was as if I knew it without knowing I knew it. You know?
Todd: Listen to us, it's just like that animated movie about the russian mouse trying to find his family! (singing) Somewhere out there, beneath that pale moonlight, someone's thinking of me...
Me: Fievel?! Oh my God, we officially have a song. I'm the Linda Ronstadt to your Peabo Bryson!
Todd: Peabo Bryson! Hey, I like that! It's perfect. Let's have a kid and name him Peabo...PEABOHHHHHHHHH!
Me: Peabo McMuffin.
Todd: Peabo FIEVEL McMuffin. We gotta give the russian singing mouse some credit.
Me: Done and done!
UPDATE: I just rememberized that James Ingram sang the duet "Somewhere Out There" with Linda Ronstadt. I was thinking of Peabo's duet with Roberta Flack, "Tonight I Celebrate my Love for You". Frankly, the lyrics and tone of those tracks are totally interchangeable, and I mean that in the good, "1980's sway to a cheesy love song at the middle school dance" kind of way.
Don't worry, we'll still name our kid Peabo!
5 comments:
Hail to the internet it makes the impossible possible. Glad you found your friend again. Don't you just love it to know you're such good friends that you can take up where you left off, feeling totally at ease. As if nothing ever happend or you have never been apart. I only experienced that twice before and I think it is great.
This is just too weird. I'm having flashbacks of Mrs. Little and Mrs. Balitsaris . . . drama club . . . red pod . . . Can we get a shout out for Babs too? "Memories, misty water-colored memories . . ."
...And I shall be his godmother. I will teach him the African Anteater ritual, since that is where this all began.
@Kat: I totally agree. The best kind of friend to have is one you can pick right up where you left off with. I'm fighting the urge to write one post with the names of everyone I've lost touch with (well, the ones I WANT to get back in touch with again, anyway) and see how long it takes until I make contact with them.
@SpaceFace: If you think the flashbacks are weird, you should hear his voice over the phone. Same tone, same laugh, same "sweetie" or "baby" said in that silky southern drawl. Of course, all of that is hard to hear over your own laughter because he is still funnier than hell.
I forgot to point out that I noticed you left Mr. Pointdexter out of your memory comment above, Space. I wonder why? Now, drop & give me 20... and YES, you're totally Peabo's godmother. PEABOHHHH!!!
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