RT Friends

MY RT FRIENDS

This page is about my RT (Real Time) friends. These are people I am friends in my non-cyber life with, but who are also on the Internet.

I am lucky to be blessed with two wonderful *Best Friends*, Mary Ann and Terri. They are both very important in my life.

SEPTEMBER 1958 SUMMER 1998

MARY ANN is the first friend I ever had, I guess. We were born and raised across the street from each other for the first seven years of my life until her family decided to move to Salt Lake City, Utah. The black and white picture above, made from a school class picture, was taken shortly before that move. I'm looking up at Mary Ann's sister Carol Lynn. Mary Ann was actually sitting in another row, but I did a little of my Photoshop magic on the picture so we could all be together.
The day she moved was one of the saddest days of my life, but we promised we'd never forget each other and that we'd write. We kept that promise and 39 years later she came back to the place of her birth and we caught up on each other's lives. We had grown up together through our letters, sharing childhood insecurities, tragedies, teenage angst, marriage, children and even favourite movies and songs.
It was wonderful to finally give her a huge hug after all those years. We were a little surprised at how much we really have in common. We share a lot of the same ideas, and of course family is very important to us both. I felt a real bond with her, even after all these years apart. I can't wait until I go out to Oregon, where she lives now, for a visit. It will be fun to meet her family and see her lovely state, which I have heard so much about.

TERRI and I became friends in 1966. That's 42 years ago in 2008. She came into my life at a time when I was a little lost. I had just lost a friend and was feeling pretty bad. I felt like I didn't have a friend in the world and then this blonde-haired angel struck up a conversation with me. I remember thinking what a beautiful smile she had. When she smiles her whole face still has this kind of glow.
We had our crazy times and even a time when we parted for a short time when someone caused a wedge between us, but for the most part we had an easy, close, loving relationship. I could always talk to her and knew she was the one person in the world who would stand by me, even if she didn't always see eye to eye with me (she'd probably say because I'm too short). She sometimes gave me those disapproving looks and I can still hear that tone in her voice when she said my name. I always valued her opinion and actually changed my mind a few times because of it.
We had some great times and some silly ones. All the times we walked along the Niagara River and just talked (the time I saved her life when she fell in a hole and was almost washed out into the lake under the ice), or the times we walked for miles in snow storms with our knee socks and Bermuda shorts on. (So, we were a little strange!) All the times we did each other's hair, took silly pictures of each other, bleached our hair with Sunlight soap, went to dances, or she slept over and we had ice cream parties or made huge homemade Chef Boyardee Pizzas with a thick crust around the edge. And our Fried Rice and sundae on a Sunday weekends at the Parkview Restuarant in Fort Erie. (Even in the winter, with our shorts on of course!) Or the time I searched the Niagara Boulevard when she disappeared from Potsey's party. I could have killed her when I found out she was out joyriding with Donnie. Picnics in the Niagara Gorge, our meeting place with the boys from Welland, her idea of the perfect blind date for me, (Never did that again!), her wonderful spaghetti dinner when she lost every fork and spoon in my parent's house in the bottom of the pasta pot, and of course the day she, my Maid-of-Honour almost missed my wedding. (She was always late, except for her own wedding.)
I cherish each and every one of those memories. We were more like sister's than friends and although we don't always see each other often now, we are still very close at heart.

HAROLD is our friend from Amherstburg, Ontario. He and wife Darlene have been friends since we lived there from May 1982 until April 1985. br> Unfortunately, Harold had a very bad fall on the stairs outside his home on August 1st, 1998 and lost the use of pretty much everything. In fact, he was paralysed from the neck down. He went through some rather delicate surgery to three vertebrate in his neck a few days later and came through with flying colours. He had to learn how to walk and use his hands all over again but he is pretty much back to normal now. He's really a bit of a walking miracle as far as I'm concerned. In fact, he's darn near perfect, which is better than he was originally. Hehehe! Just kidding Harry!
Love ya, Polpetta!
I'm keeping you and Dar in my prayers!

Pat became a very good friend when we reconnected in the early part of 1998. We first met him in our Amherstburg days, but knew him only socially. We bumped into him now and then at community functions where he could often be found circulating about the room shaking hands and being friendly. I remembered he had a very warm smile.

When we met again at the hospital where Harold spent the first days of his recovery it was after 17 1/2 years. My memories of him were very accurate with only one change. Pat had M.S. Getting to know him over those four years I came to realize what a remarkable man Pat was. He never let his disease define who he was. He had setbacks from time to time, but he never seemed to get discouraged and always faced his problems with a positive point of view, often making a joke of his misfortunes. His strength and optimism brought me through some difficult times, when I had severe back problems, when my Mom died, and when I was going through an emotional transition. No matter how busy his life got he always took the time to drop a note to let me know he cared, and see how I was doing.

Sadly, Pat took a bad turn and was diagnosed with terminal cancer in early 2001. He died quietly in his wife's arms telling her he loved her with his last breath. The date was November 2, 2001, his 46th birthday.

I miss his e-mail messages and his silly sense of humour. He was a great source of comfort and inspiration to many on the internet and a truly wonderful friend. I feel confident God will embrace him as Pat did so many others.

Return to List.