The Best Friend Speaks …

When Janet asked me if I would like write something for her blog while she was away, swanning around Europe, I thought, “really, what could I contribute …”

And then I realised …

So, to explain who I am and why I get to spill the beans, let me take you way, way back.

It’s 1982 and I was in Year 11 at a large high school on the northside of Brisbane. Being highly observant, I noticed (after a week or three) that the same girl kept showing up in all my classes. Despite three years at the same high school, we had never met but we had picked all the same subjects. It’s like we had something in common.

We started to sit together in class, hang out together out of class and call each other if we missed a day of school … And a beautiful friendship was born.

We have been friends ever since, even though we might only see one another once or twice a year. Despite this, she is the person I call in a crisis (MAM: like when somebody rang distraught that she was about to become a Mother-In-Law!); and she calls me sometimes for the same reason (like when Miss 18 swallowed a cherry stone as a toddler).

So, Fun Fact 1: Janet LOVES breakfast cereal

When we would get together once a year for a girly retreat with a small group of friends, I was camp cook. Now I take that job seriously and we would have tasty multi-course breakfasts of cereal, hot food, toast and all the yummies. Janet would bring her own cereal and sit there doing a “when Harry met Sally” impersonation. Then she would go back for seconds while the rest of us scoffed bacon and eggs. Weirdo! (MAM: In my defense, I just can’t stomach anything else too early in the morning – and it’s been years since I had two bowls of cereal! Blowing raspberries … )

Fun fact 2: Janet HATES phones

A person reading only the first part of this post, where I mention the role that phones have played in our friendship, would probably be forgiven for thinking that Janet and I spend hours gasbagging to one another. After all, we all know that Janet is inseparable from her phone … How else would she take so many selfies! The truth is very different. Unless it is a crisis, in which case Janet will sit there patiently while I pour my heart out, I’m lucky to get a ten minute convo. Other friends and siblings say the same. The truth is that Janet doesn’t like just chatting on the phone for any length of time. Sigh. (MAM: it’s my phone phobia!)

Fun Fact 3: Janet was nicknamed after a disease

Back in Year 11 at the beginning of our friendship, I often hung out with some nerdy types. We would tape the Goon Show on Radio National on a Saturday and by Monday could recite it verbatim.

At about this time Janet came down with glandular fever, necessitating a lot of time off and many schoolwork related phone calls. It was then in fact that I wagged Wednesday afternoon sport for the only time in my life (MAM: a likely story!!!), to go and visit her. I’m such a wonderful person. It was thus that Janet somehow acquired the nickname “Dreaded Lurgi” which is still used to this day, in honour of a famous mythical disease which can only be cured by playing brass band instruments (which neither of us does!).

So, I hope it’s been fun, or at least enlightening.

And to Janet, have a great holiday!

Thanks Mel! You didn’t do too bad – it could have been a lot worse 😉 ! So tell me dear reader – did you learn anything new about me?!