August 23, 2006
Mud Pies
Several months ago, I read a book I really liked called "Julie & Julia." It's about a woman, Julie, who decides to cook her way through Julia Child's entire book of "The Joy of French Cooking" or whatever. Heather gave it to me, and I must say, it was a bold move on her part, what with my hatred for cooking and all things French.
But I really liked the book. In it, the author wrote this:
"...there are two kinds of friends in the world, those who inspire in you all that is great and good and those who'd prefer to get right down on their haunches and help out with the mud pies,..."
That really struck a chord with me, and I pondered it as I fell asleep. Who are my inspiring friends, and who are my mud pie friends?
Well, that's pretty damn easy. Egrau and PJ are obviously the ones who inspire me to new heights of kindness and fulfillment... or at least shame be into not being such a bitter asshole all the time.
Egrau is a Lender of Books. Books that make your soul soar and your heart sing poetry. Books that say, "Come, rise up! This is what you can be! This is what you can write! Or at least learn a couple new vocabulary words so you're not saying fuck so often."
PJ has overcome a lifetime of being Irish, to become one of the kindest, most selfless people I know. She makes me want to bake goodies for strangers and be nice to all living creatures, even cats and children.
And then... there's Nicki and Heather, my mud pie friends. Ah, how I adore them and their limitless capacity for evil.
When Nicki and I are out at the mall during lunch, we often point out what we will buy to decorate our all-pink condo, where we will live after we've divorced (killed) our husbands.
And, oh, how I thrill to see Heather's eyes light up and shoulders hunch in laughter over the prospect of setting unicorns on fire or performing an "ethnic cleansing" of the French.
But now? Heather's new, fabulous, well-paying job that she loves is keeping us from the constant, constant IMing that, once upon a time, brought us into blissfull co-dependence.
And Nicki? Hmmm... Nicki is the reason I'm musing on friendship today because Nicki is totally breaking up with me. Or more accurrately, she tendered her resignation and, as of September 1st, will no longer be working here.
I. Am. Devastated!
Sure, given a choice, it would always be preferrable to lose Nicki and Heather, rather than Egrau and PJ. Given an ultimatum between the Good and the Evil, I could never subject the world to a Wenchie influenced solely by the devils on her shoulder. It would be a chilly, barren world, where even Nicki and Heather would eventually become skittish.
But, GAWD, I'm going to miss her. Nick. Nicki. Nicholle.
No more absolutely imperative walks to the snack shop to vent about a husband's latest lapse in brain function. No more stress-relieving lunches of BBQ nachos and chocolate cake. No more furtive emails bemoaning the unfortunate fashion choices of our co-workers.
Oh, sure she'll email me fairly frequently for a while. Perhaps even call. But then it will drop off, as she luxuriates in her new, employment-free lifestyle -- drinking, napping, walking the dog -- and it becomes more and more difficult for her to empathize with my tedious tales of office life. What is this "fax machine" you speak of, Wenchie?
And I'll be left with only the Barbie she bought me, a mix tape she made me, and the sight of her empty desk, which I will ride my bike past at least once a day, hoping against my knowledge of reality to see her there.
*sigh*
Where's my cookie dough ice cream?
Comments
They let you ride bikes in the office? Can I have Nicki's job?
Posted by: Friend of Nicki & Vicki at August 25, 2006 08:38 AM