Friday, September 14, 2007

Mystery solved, friendship renewed

I began to suspect that the mystery flowers came from my best friend, S, since his name was the one associated with them. I realized that this week - the second week after Labour Day - marks 20 years of friendship for us. And wondered whether that might be why he would send me flowers out of the blue, when we have been out of touch for the first time in these twenty years. Never mind that they originated at a florist in Random Canadian City, and he lives in London, England. So I checked with him - and they did indeed come from him. He says he spent twenty minutes painstakingly dictating a note to them over the phone. Obviously these are incompetent florists, since they butchered my name and they couldn't get it together to attach the note.

So, mystery solved. No stalker in the picture. :)

This makes me happy. I've felt quite sad about what has become of us since my visit to him and our trip to Paris in February. We've had one email exchange since then - in the early spring. One. We haven't talked once. I felt estranged. I'd kept him in the loop - informing him of my move and new addres, for example. And had heard nothing. I felt as if the weirdness that came between us on that trip might actually permanently destroy us. And "us" is the only thing I'd ever felt certain about - that we'd be friends for the rest of our lives. Feeling the potential loss of that was huge.

As is his wont, he is flaky when it comes to more mundane communication, but he comes through with the big gestures. Like remembering the anniversary. (I had forgotten about it.) Like, when I turned 30, putting a shocking amount of effort into an incredibly cool and thoughtful gift.

I'm so glad he's back. We're going to schedule a phone chat for this weekend. It makes my heart lift, honestly. I didn't realize until now just what was missing from my life, without him.

5 comments:

medieval woman said...

Oh, my dear! I'm so happy they were from him and that the connection has been remade!

Yay!

Belle said...

So cool. That he found you. You found him and realized that your fears of losing him were unfounded. That he remembered. That you have a friend like that.

Aren't they great? I renewed a friendship last spring that is one of my greatest treasures, and nearly wept with peace when it was like we'd seen and talked just yesterday... when that yesterday was more than 14 years before.

Hilaire said...

Yes, I'm very lucky to have him. It is very cool.

Belle, that is an inspiring story about reuniting with a friend that many years later! That gives me a sort of hope.

Marcelle Proust said...

Who called it?

Hilaire said...

You totally did, Marcelle, and I thought of that after I'd already posted...I bow to you, the knower of all things! :)