Happy Anniversary... uh.... KAT

KAT: The voicemail message I received from SJ the other day: “Happy Anniversary! It was three years ago today we accidentally became friends.”
As legend goes, SJ wore a loudly patterned shirt to her interview at the paper I worked for. I took one look at it and the black-framed glasses she wore and her general aura of artsiness and said to myself, “We'll never be friends.” Apparently, I don't know myself well because I fell for her after a night that included a restaurant opening, changing clothes in the car together, a haunted graveyard, changing clothes in the car together (Like Mom always said… there's no better way to get to know a person than to get naked with them!)
and a night out at a bar. I could get schmaltzy about what followed, such as the hours of listening to me cry or complain about one thing or another, the adventures we've had in Mystic, Boston and New York, how she showed up at my door with ice cream when I needed it most or myriad other times she was there for me… but that wouldn't be my style. (As Mom also said, “Sincerity is rarely funny.”) So I'd rather focus on the crazy, silly times (it's what we're both best at anyway!) Like the all-out pen fights we used to have in the newsroom, the times we skipped out of work for “Dairy Queen runs,” (yes, we know we had the best jobs ever!) watching people strain their necks trying to follow our storytelling style and all the times I've almost choked from laughing so hard. It's just unfortunate that SJ is married now and our time together has been cut back to only five emails a day, one daily phone call and a couple of card games here and there!

SJ: First thing’s first: It wasn’t a loudly patterned shirt. It was STRIPED. And small stripes at that. And black, tan, turquoise striped. It’s not like I walked in wearing a circus tent or anything.(I’m really stuck on this circus theme.) And also, we totally only changed clothes once that night in the car.
In honor of our friendship, I’m currently wearing my mystic sweatshirt.
My first impression of KAT was mingled. I recall a conversation happening around me while I was doing my “test” article. She certainly didn’t seem friendly (obviously, I'm a great judge of character). Or at least, not to me. Clearly, she was put off by my keen fashion sense. But, because I’m so nice, I decided to give her another shot. We were the only two in the newsroom most often, well, us and NaySayer Bob, so we might as well be friends. So our first adventure was the night out at the
short-lived Tiffany room, mingling among Bristol’s elite. One thing about KAT, she has limited variety in her wardrobe—let’s just say she knows what works and sticks to it. Her winter outfit of choice: black short skirt, black boots, red sweater. Summer outfit: pink or white tank top (or both layered) and pink cardigan with denim capris. And the skirt didn’t work for the rainy cold night of the Haunted Graveyard opening. So after a few drinks at the Tiffany room, and the aforementioned change, we went to Lake Compounce. Considering we had been lukewarm on the outset, it’s amazing what some dark narrow hallways, some ghosts and some freaky stalker monsters will do to you.

KAT: As Mom always said, a good way to get to know a person is to grope them in a dark room! (This “Mom” apparently talked a lot and said some dumb things… but in this case she was right). I’d like to think that SJ and I saw something in each other that we knew would work. More likely, we were both bored and thought it would be great fun to take advantage of some free food and a free walk through the Haunted Graveyard. But that doesn’t explain the hours of fun since.
Ours is an un-definable friendship— mostly because SJ won’t let me assign her any titles. We’ve agreed that we’re cohorts and comrades, and that I’ll miss her as much as I’ll miss the cottage when I move. Other than that, we’re still working on being able to hug without looking too awkward. What it comes down to is this: it’s been a fun three years and here’s to three more! Wait… I mean 30, or even more, or… you know what I mean.

SJ: I was once labeled elitist, so now I approach life with a Marxist dislike of titles and classifications. Or mostly because I fear it makes me sound hopelessly preteen to say she's my BFF. But face it, I totally Luv her - she rocks the cazbuh and if I had a half-heart necklace to give her, I would.