I see her whenever I wear Keds, eat Hawaiian pizza, or glimpse the half-heart charm in my jewelry box with the worn letters:
‘Be
Frie’
I wonder if she kept the other half.
“No,” I answer. “I haven’t seen Mary in years.”
~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~-
This is my response to the Gargleblaster weekly prompt, which is to write a 42 word answer to this question: Do you see her much?
While my response is fiction, I am sometimes reminded of friends no longer part of my life. I know some friendships are just for a season, but they do cross my mind once in a while. I also owned a “Best Friends” necklace, but it was gold. I think it’s an ‘eighties’ thing 🙂
This challenge is open to anyone, but you have to think (and link) fast – the challenge closes once there are 42 responses linked. Click here to post your own link!
JannaTWrites 
This is sweet! I totally forgot about those necklaces!
Thanks, Jen! I had one of those back in the day and wore it all the time 🙂
I did too. And then there were three of us and the necklaces were only made for two. Oh the drama!
Oh, three would be a problem, Jen! I saw they have them in three pieces now. Great way to eliminate potential cat fights 🙂
Ha ha for sure!
Even though it was fiction it’s every applicable to many of us. A friend breakup is possibly more painful than a relationship ending!
I think you’re right, 52mpm… even when the friendship just gradually slips away, it’s still hard.
I know logically we can’t stay friends with everyone who comes into our life, but that doesn’t make it any easier, does it? Sweet story, Janna!
Sometimes, no, Debbie. It’s a good reminder to put the time into maintaining the friendships that do have long-term potential.
It would be hard to let go of that 1/2 necklace . . . just in case! Well done, Janna.
Well, I did let go of mine quite a few years ago 🙂 Thanks for reading, Nancy!
You captured the sweet remembrance and guilt that can come with the friendships we let slip away. Well done!
Thanks so much for reading, Gennaclaire! It can be hard to let some friendships go, but I’ve had a few where we just didn’t have anything in common anymore. Doesn’t mean they don’t cross my mind sometimes, though 🙂
This is lovely, Janna. I haven’t seen those half-heart charms in years 😀
I haven’t either, but then again, I’m around boys and I don’t think they’re into that kind of thing like girls were! Glad you stopped by, Dianne.
Some ‘best friends are for seasons’ – true. But some are for life, I reckon 🙂
I do think some are meant to stay with us for the long haul, Eric!
I imagine we all remember the people who’ve crossed our paths over the years. Those necklaces are still available, one of my granddaughters has half of one.
I’m glad they are still around, Patti. I know it was special when I had one! (My sons aren’t into that kind of thing, so I didn’t know kids still liked them 🙂 )
A lovely entry, Janna! I haven’t published mine yet, but it’s ready to go! (14 more minutes…)
Thanks, AZ Gringa! Not long now…seven minutes? I’ll probably post mine tonight, too so I don’t chance missing the window.
5 minutes… 😀
(I am enjoying this entirely too much.)
Less than one minute :)…. GO! 😛
AH! It says I don’t have a backlink…. I thought I put one in?
I got that message too! The error referenced #155, but this is challenge #157, so I don’t know if that has anything to do with it. I checked the box to submit anyway and then left a comment on the challenge site.
Ok… cool. Would you take a look at mine? I just want to make sure I didn’t forget anything (I r a n00b. 😦 )
http://bleachedbonevalley.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/gargleblaster-157-do-you-see-her-much/
Haha, I was actually just reading it! Looks great 🙂
🙂
A lot of information with a short number of words great job! Loved the “be fri” part the best
Thanks, Patti! I hoped the charm description would be familiar to some.
Ah the pain of broken friendships. I know that heartbreak. Well written, Janna.
Shailaja’s post
I think we all have some broken friendships in our past. Thanks so much for reading, Shailajav!
That is one scary thought Janna. losing friends. That even best friends.
True, Habibadanyal! But, best friend means something different to me now than it did years ago… the loss would be greater now 🙂
Sad, touching!
Thanks for stopping by, Mridubala. I appreciate you reading this 🙂
It is sad how people grow apart. Great write! ♥
To me, the drifting apart can be more painful than the huge blow-out endings, I guess because I don’t really know what happened. Glad you stopped by, Kathy.
I hate thinking of the friendships I’ve lost or had to let go of because we grew up or grew apart.
Friendship breakups are every bit as hard as love affair endings, sometimes more so.
I love “where” you saw her, the imagery was right on the mark. Nicely done.
I’m glad you could ‘see’ the imagery, Kir. I’d wanted to get across that whether we try to our not, we see our past in unlikely places.
it’s true.
Numbers can be blocked, memories can be eradicated but a song, a shoe, a child’s toy or a scent can bring things back to you. I think if someone meant something to you they never really go away.
Well-said, Kir. The memories resurface unexpectedly and against our will 🙂
A friendship lost is always sad. You picture the memory of years later on seeing one half of the term beautifully in your words. 🙂
It is sad to think about friendships lost. I try to see the positive, in that they left room for new friendships to flourish. While it’s painful to lose a friendship, it’s also difficult to carry on a friendship that isn’t right anymore. Thanks for reading, Anmol!
A little sad and bittersweet – such a childhood memory. Lovely!
Thanks for reading, Irene!
Very nice. This brought back some quick memories of an old best friend from long ago.
I’m glad you could relate, Marcy. Thanks so much for reading!
My daughters and their friends have given each other necklaces like this and my wife just received one from her close friend for her birthday. It’s so sweet and “female” but also bittersweet when the feeling fades. Well done
Thanks for reading, Lance! Yes, it is a bit sad to look at the trinket and realize the emotions behind it are changed.
Ah, nostalgia. I think I might’ve had something like that friendship necklace (yes, I’m a fellow child of the ’80s). Good work in evoking timeless memories in only 42 words!
Thanks for your nice comment, Leigh! There are so many memories of that time… so good, some not so much 🙂
I had one of those necklaces too! Sadly, I haven’t seen the girl with the other half for decades. Hard to imagine… I like how you ended the piece with a line of dialog. It worked really well. (Sorry about the badge confusion, and thanks for helping AZ out!)
Thanks, Christine! This one took a bit to condense so I’m glad it seemed to work. I know, I know, brevity is the point 🙂
No worries about the badges. I was just afraid I goofed and would end up missing the grid (because it fills so fast!)
I had a two halved heart necklace once myself so I was able to immerse myself in all of the underlying emotions here. I think it’s harder to lose a friend. I had to say goodbye to one recently and it hurt more than I can describe.
Those necklaces were popular (might still be, but I’m surrounded by boys). I’m sorry you had to say goodbye to a friend, Gina… difficult, indeed…
I like what recalls her to mind – Hawaiian pizza. This is true of so many old relationships. You’ve got me thinking about the lost friends and cherishing more the ones I’ve kept.
It’s funny how the strangest, little things can bring back memories we thought were forgotten. (I have no idea where Hawaiian pizza came from, but I’d hoped it would get that point across.) Thanks for reading, Sarah Ann!
Those necklaces were all the rage. My friend and I had them too!
It kind of makes me wish I’d have thought of the idea and marketed it 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Jennifer!
ahh keds and memories.
🙂 I haven’t worn Keds in years, but in high school, I had some colored ones that I liked. Thanks for stopping by, Robbie!
I love this one. It’s so simple and understated, but it resonates for most of us, I think.
Thanks, Tinsenpup! While this was fiction, I also have felt the wistful, “I wonder…” from time to time. Glad you could relate as well.
Oh Janna!What a painful thing it must be though she tries to pretend it is not!Excellent take:-)I have been very,very lucky where friends are concerned and only once has life handed me a lemon-it soured me for a long while and I had problems trusting again but thankfully,now it is just a bad memory 🙂
I’m so glad your friendships have been good ones, Atreyee! I haven’t had the best track record with friends, so I’ve learned to cut them loose when they become a drain. I do have a couple long-term ones, though.
Yes Janna,God has been kind-my cup runneth over :-)My best friend and me have been together since 12 and I also have a couple of friends who go back to my elementary school-our school batch is also very closely knit-about 30 of us who regularly talk and meet up every two years-we sure consider ourselves blessed :-)I agree-fair weather friends are best to avoid-they do no good.
That’s impressive, Atreyee! I don’t even have thirty acquaintances, much less ones from that early in life. I met my best friend in college 🙂
Yes,i agree,I am very blessed:-)
I’m glad that you kept your half of the necklace, and hope she did too
Well, in real life, I parted with the charm after ten years or so. I hope that isn’t as jerky as it sounds! Thanks for reading, Snellopy.
Love the image of “Be Frie,” speaking to all things broken.
Thanks, Whimsy! I really wanted to work that in there 🙂
I don’t think I ever had one of these necklaces with a friend (I may have forgotten, though), but my daughter has one with her friend. It’d be interesting to see how long they’ll stay friends and if they still keep theirs for years to come. I hope they do, as her friend’s mom is my BFF. 😉
That’s fun that you are friends with her mom, Sandra! I hope they stay friends, too. I thought I would meet more parents that I could bond with, but it’s surprising how often I’ve found that I dislike either the parent or the child. My older son has a friend right now that for the first time, I like everyone involved…. it’s taken eleven years 🙂