so today, one of my best friends from college is having a heart procedure.  this girl is so dear that words are hard to find when i think about what she means to me. she is a wildly-hardworking person. she is a loyal person. she is a very, very warm-hearted person. my kids love when she treks down to visit once or twice a year, especially because she always does a huge sweep at Target and brings them all the candy and crap i deny them. (of course, there’s the good humor she displays, too — like when she ended up picking blackberries with us in the middle of nowhere and jumping on a giant inflatable… i don’t know what it was called, but it sure was hella fun.)

i’m sure she’ll be okay, but i must admit, it has struck me right between the eyes. someone else my age is mortal, too. historically, i’ve sorted my college friends into tidy mental boxes, sort of like the Beatles were when they first hit America; i’m the sick one. another girlfriend is the one who has had epic and horrific love affairs. and this one? she’s the workaholic. no one is supposed to be working my side of the street; i’ve taken on all the awful illnesses so no one else has to.

but no one can stay in their own box forever, i suppose. the one who has had bad luck with men just got married to a real keeper. and i have had moments in my career when i suppose workaholic would have been an appropriate tag (i remember sleeping at my desk once or twice about 15 years ago when i was enmeshed in the world of the burgeoning internet.) so it stands to reason that someone else could have something seriously wrong with them. fixable, thank G-d, but serious nonetheless.

anyway, i’ll be waiting til later today, when i can pester her — or her mom — and find out how she’s doing. summer’s not far off, and she needs to plan her next trek down to the southland. my kids are down to their last 6 pounds of halloween candy. and SOMEONE’S got to supply them with more Pez.

get well soon, suz.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRqKPfHyXUg