It’s been a very intense week and not just because of growing pains in relationships.

When I was 15 I was taken out of my comfort zone and sent to a hoity toity prep school. I was too intelligent not to have the best opportunities or so my parents thought. We had no money so they spent their bottom dollar to do this. I didn’t earn it, I didn’t fit in.  BUT…

I met a girl there who changed my life. Suzy Anderson. She didn’t fit in either. Those snotty rich kids made fun of her, called her Vampira. She had a David Bowie haircut, platform shoes like sky scrapers, the coolest clothes, and she refused to let those kids see her feelings, walked tall every day. I’ll never forget the day she kicked the worst boy in the shins with her moon shoes. She really hurt him. I was smitten, drawn like a moth to flame. She fascinated me. She was so cool. I wanted what she had. We became best friends. I met all her friends, listened to all her music, wore her clothes, we went everywhere together. We changed schools the next year.

She was the first girl I ever kissed (there weren’t many but she was the first). We lived together more than once over the years. My life was never the same and boy am I grateful, dark times as well as bright.

She changed my life in ways I can’t begin to put into words. I found my people, my tribe, thanks to her. I’ve found them again after all these years. I’ve been looking for Suzy for years and last week I found her. She died of cancer 4 days later. I didn’t get a chance to see her, she was just too ill. I’m broken hearted. Her memorial is a week from today, 3 blocks from my house. I’ll be there in my platform shoes.

Suzy is the lovely blond dancer.