The Other Half of my Half

I have this friend whom I delightfully refer to as my asexual life mate that I can't live without. And no, I haven't decided to switch teams, but rather to reflect on one of the best, solid, relationships a woman can have- a girlfriend. Mine fills the void in various areas and on any given day she assumes the role of: therapist, surrogate mother to ME, fill-in mom to my children, conscience, style consultant, financial advisor, moral compass, fake spouse, you name it and it's covered. She picks up party supplies I forget, she picks up my kids when I'm in a bind and she picks me up when I need a reality check.

Our friendship started 20+ years ago at a Home Economics table in 7th grade. She, wearing a skirt and I, gleaming with a mouth of metal and both sporting the art of the boof as a hairstyle. Two different upbringings but one strong connection of "getting each other" has transformed us to mid-30's women still laughing and loving our way through this thing called life. I think if we could have peeked at our future and witnessed the trials, tribulations, beginnings and endings, groundings, and moments of sheer insanity our friendship would face, we both may have reacted differently. She would have ran like hell from that table...... and I would have been jotting notes for the beginning chapters of a best seller. It all started so innocently.... okay, now wait. That's a flat out lie. Nothing in our friendship has ever been innocent but they make for great stories we can reminisce about over a nice cocktail every now and again. Oh, the schemes we pulled off, guys we dated, extravagant plans we concocted to do things we had no business doing. I was always in trouble, thanks to her of course. Through it all, we strengthened our soul sister bond to the point of unbreakability.

I suppose not every woman has the girlfriend you can run to in times of euphoric happiness, deep sadness, bad haircuts, boyfriend breakups, acne breakouts, life fiascoes, bad mommy moments, humiliating times you'd hate for anyone else to know. You name it and we've already crossed it off the list. I often tell her that, had it not been for her, I would be living in a trailer park, curlers in my hair, one of my five babies on my hip, a cigarette dangling from hot pink stained lips while waitin' for my no good sumbitch husband to come home from the track...... honestly, I can picture it. But instead, we called and talked, called and listened, called and cried, called and didn't give up. Today, I woke up with the mental tape of our latest conversation running and I realized how far we've come. Sure we've had to drag each other a time or two, but we made it. My asexual life partner will always be one perfect other half to me, even when I'm ready to find that slightly imperfect other half. For that, I'm forever grateful. I love ya Miss!