tavie.com

So, my dad's best friend of 52 years, his best friend's mom passed away last weekend. I didn't know her or anything, but boy, it made my dad sad. It made my dad so sad that he hasn't even been talking about it or anything. Usually my dad talks about every little thing that bugs him. You know, kinda like I do? But nothing on this.

The Soubermans send us holiday cards several times a year, and they always refer to me as Bronwyn in them. (Bronwyn is my middle name. I think they just liked it better.)
I think I only met the elder Soubermans (that's their name, my dad's best friend is Eugene and his parents are Abe and Pearl) once, but I know they're swell people because my dad has loved them since he was 13 years old, and my dad will be 66 this year. My dad had an unpleasant relationship with his mom, so I think the Soubermans were sort of the kind of surrogate-parent types. They stuck with him through some really rotten times of his young-manhood, perfectly analogous to the way that Steph and her mom stuck with me through the really rottenest (anniversary tomorrow) times of my life.

It must be something to have a best friend for over 50 years. That's some kind of staying power, where the people become family to you, because my dad is an annoying personality-- he has been likened to J. Ignatius Reilly by more than one person-- so, yeah, that's some love, there.

(As an aside, I suppose, upon reflection, that it's strange that I don't really know Eugene very well at all, considering he's my dad's best friend of 52 years. But it's not as strange as it could be, because we're really a very insular family, and generally keep our friends to ourselves. Guard them rather jealously, really. So it's strange when the odd Andrew or Steph sneaks through and becomes close to all four of us.)

The rotten thing about the events of last year are that people that I thought would always be in my life suddenly aren't. I never used to question that my best friends would be like family for the rest of my life. That's the kind of friendship I like to have. But now one of them is gone. I miss her a lot. I wonder if she knows that, or cares.

Why are you in Tavie's head? 10:32 AM | shower me with attention