At the push of a button, rather click, you have a friend.
My friendships, as I understand it, take much longer to germinate. Please do not misunderstand, I love Facebook but the instantaneous "friendship" is not my speed. Growing up an only child, my greatest desire was to be liked and have many friends. Facebook clearly was not around in those days, so it was a struggle.
My mother's nickname for me was "Cutie" but I felt far from cute. Not with her beratings and beatings; and certainly not with the sexual molestation that I was experiencing under her roof. I desperately wanted friends but was either not allowed to have them or to bring them home.
My best friend lived many a miles from us and I only got to see her in the summer months. The end of the school year could not come fast enough for me as the thought of getting on that bus and heading for St. Mary, Jamaica was better than Christmas.
For four years, every summer my mother would pack me up to spend the school break with her friend - Aunt Joyce. The first year was tough as my abandonment issues rose to strangle me. I was convinced my mother was not coming back for me and despite the beatings and swearing in our house, it was my home.
Jo-Jo and my friendship was tenuous at first.
I was the kid from the big city of Kingston and she the country girl. She was very 'light skin' and mine more caramel. Jo-Jo had a thick Jamaican accent that surprised me at first because her complexion suggested "refined." I, on the other hand, spoke perfect English in a soft voice. None of that stopped us from becoming as thick as thieves!
That year and the three ensuing ones, the Jamaica Postal Service made quite a few dollars between Jo-Jo and I. We wrote hundreds of letters, each one started with, "I hope that when this reaches you, it finds you in good health." Every one of my letters to the little district ended with, "I love you Jo-Jo."
She was my first love.
Our friendship was so pure, so precious tears come to my eyes even 30+ years later remembering its deliciousness. Jo-Jo and I did everything together. She was a year older than me but even then, I took leadership of the relationship. Jo-Jo was no blind follower though. She knew things that I had no idea of. Things like how to catch wild birds with a box, string and grains of corn. Lunch was never a problem as Jo-Jo would lead the way to the ocean front and with a line, hook and sinker a meal would be ready in an hour tops.
Our friendship ran so deep that twenty years later, having not seen or spoken with each other for years, I knew when Jo-Jo was in trouble. One early morning, I was awoken around 2:00, disturbed that something was off with my friend. Woke up my then partner and we arrived in the little district at dawn to find my darling friend nursing wounds inflicted on her by robbers.
Do you have a friend with whom you are connected by the heart? When was last time you were in touch? Share your story with me here or on Facebook. You can also follow me on Twitter as well.
Do have a blessed and friend-filled weekend!
Photo Source: quotesfrenzy.com
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