Friendly Smiles

Friendly Smiles

By

B.D. Adams

© 2010

     Friendship! Ah, yes ... the comradeship of friends!! I have had oodles of friends and several stories come to mind that include different groups of my friends ... past and current. It always seemed that my groups would be in threes ... me and two others. Not really mysterious, but to me ... it always struck me as curious.
     Of late, one story seems to pop in my now elderly mind that regarded dining with two friends on a spur decision. I had the money for a burger or bratwurst, and the other ladies said they were game, but nothing fancy, also. They met at my off-campus apartment so we could decide where to go. I didn’t have a car, so I’d need to be picked up, in any event.
     Let me set the era, the thread of the friendship and introduce my friends, with a ditty about yours truly.
     If memory served me, this dinner took place in the summer of 1972, on a week day that we were not working. Because it was summer, it was sunny until late.
     At this junction in my life, I was a college student (not quite a Sophomore, yet), who just wanted to stay alive and well in Columbus, Ohio ... as so many other students wanted to do!! This was Buckeye Land ... you know, Ohio State University. My apartment was just 2 ½ blocks from the main campus ... easy access.
     My friends were students, as well, but with rooms in the dormitories. They had family near, but they wanted to experience life more on their own. I was a transplant from Texas and had an apartment off-campus, so I needed to work fulltime to take care of my living expenses. The girls enjoyed my apartment because it was more like living as “independent adults.”
     We had met at one of the large, classy department stores in the downtown of Columbus, where we were employed. They were part-timers, as I was a full-timer. Since we were employ-ees, we bought all our clothes and accessories with our employee discount ... for which I was so glad to use! We were college students and enjoyed playing tennis (with an invited fourth), so our quick, lithe structures were about even. This was our era of being early twenty-year-olds ... away from home and struggling to stay independent. This was a good time, albeit a learning time.
     As I remembered, the first to arrive at my place was “Sally,” the tall one (there was a song called “Long, Tall, Sally”). She was a sweet person, who I dubbed as the better friend. She wore her light brown hair long, past her shoulders. And, her hazel eyes were definitely the mirrors of her soul! Sally was quick to laugh or wink (or both), when she heard something that struck her to do so. Her emotions were usually light and quickly delivered ... be it, her humor or her irritations (like with certain co-workers).
     Within moments, “Lady M.” arrived. Now, please do not misconstrue ... Lady M. was a fantastic person, as well. Her name was because her childhood and up-brining was way different than mine or Sally’s, and she took the ribbing like a sport. We would tease her, good naturedly, that she was a rich brat. Don’t worry ... she got her digs in to us, with no problem!
     Lady M. was more to my height ... just over 5 foot. She had blue eyes, as I had, but her hair was Irish red ... with the length just above her shoulders, which she usually wore off her neck. And, everything she wore matched ... from a hair barrette to the color of her shoes. Even though she was a red-head, she was quieter than me and Sally. She would always come up with the definitive question, however ... like, “Who do you think really killed Kennedy?” Stuff like that. And, she was one heck of a tennis player! Many times, I felt she was bored playing with us because she was so much better. However, we were friends with all the pros and cons.
     I would have been dubbed as “average” in any circle ... dark, brown hair about the length of Sally’s and blue eyes (already mentioned). One very good thing that my mother did for me was get me to a dermatologist, during my teen years, to clear up all that wicked acne all over my face. Good skin, but nothing outstanding!


(Sorry ... I digress. Let’s get back to the story.)


     As they showed up, and had access to my refrigerator, each got their drink of choice. Sally would be the chauffer, so she had a soda. Lady M. and I both opted for a Miller High Life ... our favorite. We sat in my living room, located on the second floor of my vintage apartment building, to make our restaurant decision. The conversation went like this.
     “What’re you guys hungry for?” I asked.
     “Something affordable,” Lady M. giggled.
     “You’re rich ...,” Sally teased.
     Lady M. rolled her eyes to say, “Oh, come on!”
     All I did was smile. This was pretty typical.
     “Let’s go to German Village! We haven’t been there for a while,” Lady M. suggested.
     “Bratwurst!” I salivated.
     It was decided. German Village had several restaurants with mostly German cuisine, but with menus that would abide all tastes ... like hamburgers or spaghetti. We decided on one restaurant, finished our drinks and trekked out to Sally’s little Pinto, that rambled the three of us to our destination.
     As we made our way through the downtown to German Village, we gabbed, gossiped and guffawed about work. School was a big subject, along with the lack of funds for anything (except food), which was always in the forefront of our minds.
     We were able to find a parking spot right away at the Whittier Restaurant. We got there at the right time because the softball teams hadn’t finished their games to attack all the German Village restaurants and bars!
     Everything was as it had been several times before. We talked, we ate, we drank (Sally had a of couple beers with her food [This was before the days of ridge alcohol restrictions], we laughed and just remained happy to be friends!
     Since we were satiated (stuffed), it was about the time to pay our bills, so Sally and I dug our wallets out of our purses. Lady M. just sat and finished her beer. After a short moment, she appeared to be a little ... nervous.
     “Hey, guys?” Lady M. got our attention, “Uh ... can I borrow some money?”
     Borrow money ... from us? That did not compute coming from her silver-spoon mouth. I looked at Sally, as she looked at me. We both merely shrugged and made the noises that that would be all right.
     “How much you need? One ... two ... more?” I asked with a grin.
     This was the first time that I could think that she was ever embarrassed!! I mean, her cheeks were rosy, and not from her make-up!
     She commented quietly, “Uh ... all of it.”
     Mentally, I was laughing hilariously at her, but in reality, I merely checked my wallet to see if I had any small bills to help her out. Sally did the same.
     “All I have is fifteen dollars ... and, I had an extra beer,” I informed.
     “I have a ten to pay for mine with the tip. My five is for lunch tomorrow,” Sally admitted.
     “How much is your bill?” I asked the question.
     “Nine-fifty-three,” Lady M. said shyly. “I really thought I had money, but I forgot about buying something earlier.” She was perturbed with herself.
     “Can’t you use your credit card?” Sally asked.
     “I didn’t bring it. Like I said ... I thought I had the money. Will I have to wash dishes?” Lady M. asked almost in tears. She took the paper napkin to dab her eyes.
     Sally and I looked at each other, and then I fessed-up, “Don’t worry ... I have enough to cover you.”
     I was afraid she was going to try to kiss me on my lips! She smiled, so relieved, and just kept thanking me.
     I went to a different compartment in my wallet and out took out a crisp ten-spot and handed it to her. We knew Sally’s ten would cover her bill, so I told Lady M. that I’d make her tip, as well.
     “This is my “insurance” money ... when I need it,” I explained. I just hoped she’d pay me back ... soon.
     “Tomorrow ... I’ll give it back tomorrow!” Lady M. promised. Her smile was sincere!
     That was what I wanted to hear.
     With handing Lady M. the money, Sally and I really had no idea about her next person-ality twitch. I, for one, almost fell on the floor by laughing!!! I’ll do this in slow-motion, to paint the humor of this situation. This is what happened:


     Once Lady M. was composed, the waitress came to collect our payments. The waitress had her calculator and stated what our change would be. In turn, Sally and I paid our bills, and then it came to Lady M.!
     Now, just imagine, you’re watching a comedy about royalty ... about pompousness in Columbus, Ohio. As Lady M. extended her little hand ... that held the money ... she reacted like she was being greeted by a peasant of her realm. Her nose was so up-in-the-air that she’d drown if it was raining! I mean, if she had royal lineage, this would have been the telling hint!
     So, smooth ... so, regal ... she made it seem that she was the one with the money. How could anyone ever think that she could ever be penniless?! (“Money? You want money ... from moi? Oh, well ... here’s some.”)
     Oddly enough, Sally saw the same thing I saw and we just burst into laughter with tears!! Lady M. was at a loss, so we tried to enlighten her, which seemed to embarrass her, yet again.
     As I ponder on my memory, this story might sound a bit harsh, or a form of ridicule to Lady M., but what friend, among all the friends of the world, have never experienced embarrassment at some point that induces good-natured laughter?!  I know that I have been the brunt of laughter with embarrassing situations of my own.  Tis merely life, my friends.
     I think this was one of those lessons that cannot be taught in classes, but to teach us ... we are what we are and not so much what we perceive of ourselves!
     And, she did reimburse me the next day ... as a good friend.


     Oh, Lady M. ... I know not where you are today, but that memory will be with me until the day I die ... a long time from now.  I so hope you are well with friendly smiles!

(As the reader can guess ... the names have been changed to protect the innocent.)