These Friends of Ours

I've been missing CB a lot lately. She and her family are doing very well in their new home and I'm happy for them. But I feel like a friendless stranger in my neighborhood now, and it is no fun.

Watching the new family move into CB's house has me thinking about some of the friends we've made over the years. Some have had a huge impact on our lives. Some were fun. And some were just comfy cozy couples to hang with.

But right now, the couple on my mind most is Eric and Katie.

We met Eric and Katie when we were at Pensacola NAS for flight training. Eric was in my husband's class, and since they both had prior non-flying careers, they hit it off.

When Katie was invited to a sex toy party by another student's wife, she asked me to go along with her. That was a very fitting start to our relationship.

Eric had just spent a year remote in Korea when he was picked up to fly. They lived in a house on base where John Wayne had once filmed a movie. Before long we moved right down the street and Katie and I started walking our dogs together every day.

Eric was an accomplished Elvis Impersonater. He'd break out his Elvis persona with the least bit of provocation.

Katie was into everything. She was the president of the wives' group. She sold Creative Memories. She was always up for any adventure. She told me how they had sex on their balcony. And she got me to admit what I had bought at that sex toy party. But she also made snacks for the guys whenever they met at her house to study.

Eric and Katie dragged us to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. I saw more of Katie's boobs and Eric's dick that night than I really cared to. They dragged us into the hot tub that night too.

They dragged us a lot of places. Salsa dancing. To try sushi. On a costumed seventies-themed scavenger hunt, which we won by cheating and stealing their score sheet and answer key. They were one of the couples with us the night my worlds collided for the first time.

They brought out the best in us. They brought out the fun side of us that we usually keep hidden next to us on the sofa.

They moved away after only six months.

It was so sad. We had other military friends before them, but none that we clicked with in quite the same way. The remaining year we spent in Pensacola just wasn't the same. Although we made friends with their polar opposites; a Baptist couple who taught parenting classes and prayed with us before fellowship meals.

The morning they drove away from Pensacola, they borrowed our shower. We had already said our good byes and it was awkward. Little half hugs, "I'll call you." And, "Have a safe trip."

I only talked to Katie on the phone once after that. She called to tell me that they were moving to Germany

We'd get e-mails from them from time to time. They loved Germany and traveled all over. One e-mail even included an attachment with pictures of what can only be described as an orgy.

We found out through one of their e-mails that they had lost their first baby.

When they moved back to the States, we lost track of each other's e-mails. But we'd still exchange Christmas cards and birth announcements in the mail.

They have two little boys now. I'm sure they are wonderful parents.

They only live about eight hours away from us now. And my husband and I have talked now and then about going down to visit them.

But I know we never will. We lost touch too much. And we're too shy.

Being a military family means always having faith that you'll make new friends. Because the old ones come and go so easily.

We've had some wonderful friends since Eric and Katie first moved away. And I know we'll have more in the future. But none of them will be quite the same as Eric and Katie.

Maybe our paths will cross again some day.