Deja Vu (again)

It's 1986, and a friend (& neighbor) makes an impromptu visit one evening.. on a school night, most unusual. Somewhere between smiles, idle chatter and an offer of a drink, comes a rather muted and quiet " We're moving." What? Not sure we really heard that; repeat. ? Not totally unexpected, as it seemed my World was moving away; some neighborhood streets boasting a plethora of realty signs... house, after house, after house.

PAUSE. STOP. REWIND. PLAY...

It's 2009, and we are gathered--eight of us--at a fondue dinner party. All gathered, most sitting, and a relatively muted statement "We sold our house." Again, not unexpected as their Life had been in Limbo these past few months--neither here, nor there... existing in a neat, tidy though somewhat barren abode, awaiting someone to arrive with a contract and a checkbook.

In the interim, 28 years of friendship was entwined with memories, growing-to-grown children, their out-of-state move, and later a back-to-here move; weekend get-a-ways, hopes, dreams, family holiday meals, and immeasurable laughs and nearly a lifetime past.

Squabbling four-year olds, imaginary children, from racquetball to wallyball to cross-country skiing & kayaking & snowshoeing, Thanksgivings, Christmases, New Years, St. Patrick's parties; Quebec City at minus 27 degrees, sing-a-longs on road trips to the Sunny South.

So, we raise our glasses, filled with our own memories of this journey together.. and they'll be on their way.

We'll meet again in other places, making other memories, meshing 'what was', with 'what will be'...and all pretend that we're okay.