Monday, February 21, 2005

Numbers on the Brain

I have this thing for numbers. Phone numbers. Birthdates. I sometimes wonder if I am the only one who can remember first grade classmates' birthdays? Drives me batty but once that number is in my head it is there a good long time. I once worked at an answering service and had 100 phone numbers stuck in my head like a revolving address book. Sometimes I wonder if in place of my brain there is really just a rolodex taking up space.

Tomorrow is my friend Lee's birthday. The last time we talked was 10 years ago or so and she lived in Texas. I think of her always on her birthday. Tomorrow she will turn 43. I met her when she was the director of a local day care. One day a letter I received from the day care board sounded a bit fishy. I phoned Lee up and said, "It sounds like they are jerking you around." They were and long after she left their organization we remained friends. Our oldest girls were 20 months old and we were both expecting again. My daughter and her daughter are 6 weeks less two days apart in age. So are our sons. To the day. It was a joke around town when I got pregnant the third time to see if Lee would soon follow suit. There were no six weeks less two days matching babies that time.

My then babies are now 20, 18 and 17.

Tomorrow that rolodex I call a brain will stop at Lee's name and remember all the times we had. Two young moms navigating the road of life together.

Happy birthday Lee, wherever you are.

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