Wanna hear a story?

If so, keep reading. If not...then, well...don't! :o)

It's the story of my friend Dena. Those who know me know of her. So I'm telling those of you that don't know me!

The story starts in 1986. Yes, 20 years ago. If I remember correctly (which it is possible I don't), I was reading one of my brother's magazines and in the back there were pictures and ads, if you will, for pen-pals. One of the girls was 3 years older than me, and I thought "What the heck!" (I was 10. I said heck. I'd say hell if it were to happen today)! So, I wrote to this girl, Marcella, who lived in Brooklyn, NY.

A few weeks later, I got a letter back. Only it wasn't from Marcella, but her cousin Dena. Marcella was bombarded with letters, and Dena was my same age, so she gave her the letter.

For a few years we wrote back and forth as often as we could, comparing likes and dislikes and things that young girls do. Boys and music and all the important things. After a few years of writing, we tried talking. But before talking on the phone, we figured we'd send cassette tapes back and forth. I'd talk in one and tell stories, then send it to her. She'd talk on the other side and send it back to me. We did this because, being the age we were, we thought it would be a FORTUNE to talk on the phone between Wisconsin and New York. The first tape I got from her...well, I was a little naive to say the least. I didn't know not everyone talked the same! I didn't know there was such thing as New York accent. (Or a Wisconsin accent, if you must think there is one!)

We talked on the phone a couple of times, but it really was easiest to write our letters. We even had nick-names for each other. She was Doc (her initials are DR) and I was Kid (mine being KD). My first car had license plates of GOKIDGO.
Anyway, we continued to write until 1997. Yes, after 11 years and a couple failed attempts, we decided to meet. I flew out to New York in July, and what happened next is a story in itself. Without getting into too much detail, I will tell you it was not a good experience. Two 21 year old girls who lived WORLDS apart completely clashing after all that time. It was just weird to think we wouldn't get along. But we didn't. It was bad, and after some nasty exchanges via snail-mail, we stopped communicating alltogether.

After 2 years, I wrote her a letter. In it I basically said that I wanted closure. If we weren't going to be friends anymore, then I at least wanted it to end on good terms. I got a letter back from her, and I couldn't believe it. She was apologizing for the way my trip had turned out, and telling me she was glad I'd written.

We continued from there, sending emails this time rather than letters. We'd caught up with technology and it was SO easy to communicate. We became closer than we were before. Letter/email communication is a very interesting thing when it's all you have. We still don't speak on the phone very often (unless it's big news, like when I got engaged), but I think we have the most open friendship because of it.

SO, after 6 more years, it was time for another trip. I had asked her to be in my wedding, and it would be the second time we'd ever met. I knew it would be an emotional time, so I planned a trip out there to be kind of a buffer. February '05 came and I was to head out. That week, I got sicker than I'd been in a LONG time. It was the first time I called in sick to my job since I started in July '02. Come to find out, Dena was sick too. And a snowstorm was headed to NY. So, my trip got cancelled. Fast forward to July, just 1 day before my wedding. Dave and I on the way to the airport to pick her up (along with her boyfriend Greg). I was SO nervous. I thought I'd get sick. I considered her one of my best friends, yet I hadn't seen her in 8 years, and that was a disaster. When I saw her coming down the escalator at the airport, the fear and nervousness drained out of me, and it was like it was supposed to be. Seeing an old friend after a long absence.

I didn't get to spend a lot of time with her that weekend, but what time we did spend together was great. We've both grown up a LOT since that first visit. Dave and I are going to visit her next month, and we can't wait.

And that is the story of my friend Dena. I hope you enjoyed it!