By Every Family’s Got One Founder — Barbara Herel
The dismissal bell sounded and the hallway instantaneously filled with the sights, smells, and the carryings-on of the cool, sort-of-cool, and not-so-cool tweens and teens of junior high.
Hence the “smells.” (My 13-year-old self landed squarely in the middle of “sort-of” and I’m fairly certain I smelled AOK for the most part. My worst offense being: a heavy hand with the Jean Nate After Bath Splash.)
That’s when I saw her walking my way…
Green-ribbed turtleneck, short sleeves
Black and green plaid bell-bottomed pants
Blue eyes
The blondiest of blondie blonde hair
Styled in the most perfect Farrah Faucet flip
And…
her name was Dawn.
I didn’t really know Dawn. I knew “of her” and that she was unmistakably cool.
Besides her dreamy looks, Dawn could sing and play guitar. She performed “Lying Eyes” by the Eagles in the talent show. I can’t remember if she won or not. But she should have won if she didn’t.
Dawn was also amazingly artistic as in “Oh I think I’ll paint on my Levi’s jean jacket” and suddenly the back of her denim was transformed into the Steve Miller Band Pegasus album cover.
Dawn was smart, funny, and kind. Every boy wanted to “go out with her.” And if they couldn’t, they were happy enough to be her friend.
I met Dawn in 7th-grade honors English. She was introduced to me as “the best friend” of a friend of mine. I immediately felt a pang of surprise because as she and I said “Hi” to each other I thought to myself…
“Oh my God, I just met my best friend!”
Best Friends Dawn & Barbara
As an adult, I know that sounds a wee bit stalker-ish. But as a teenage girl, it was nothing more than that insistent knowing. Like you get when falling in love with Steve McQueen – that girls who were destined to be best friends knew they were meant to be best friends, even if it was just one-sided at the moment.
Had I said it out loud, I might have pulled back. I’m glad I didn’t say it out loud. Because Dawn and I became fast friends.
Then as I predicted, best friends, doing what best friends did best…
Eat lunch together
Hang out after school
Call each other after we got home from hanging out after school
Walk miles around town singing “Miss You” by the Stones at the top of our lungs
Trust each other with secrets and nonsense that wasn’t nonsense to us, like boys and Ouija Boards.
And…
Laugh until we couldn’t breathe.
42 years later…
Dawn is still my best friend.
We survived junior high, high school, college, excessive dancing, boys, men… we’ve shared no less than a gazillion life-altering and non-special moments over the years.
She’s the one who would help me move the body if necessary and I’d do the same for her.
She’s still every bit as cool and every bit as talented. And I’ll tell you another thing, as I write this…
I’m falling in love all over again with my best friend, Dawn.
Your turn. Sing me the praises about your best friend.
Aw, loved learning more about your best friend, dawn here today and thank you for sharing her here 🙂
Thank you, Janine. She’s easy to write about! xx
Barbara Herel
This story melted me. It also caused a bit of envy. You’ve cultivated a relationship that we all dream of and you made it possible!
Lisa! Thank you for all your beautiful kind words.
Beautiful story Barbara. I remember the two of you in Junior High., attached at the hip. It’s amazing how friendships made so young can be the ones we cherish the most.
Diana!!! I can’t thank you for sharing your thoughts. (I certainly have quite a few cherished ones of you. Possibly the best sleepover parties ever!) So wonderful to hear from you. Please send my best to your family. xxx
I can’t post my story as you’ve already told it so well! Dawn has always been my best friend – even when all the boys I knew wanted to go out with her ?.
I’ve known since I could walk that she would always have my back and I’m pretty sure she threatened a few people on my behalf as I was definitely not cool in Jr High.
Lisa!!! I could easily imagine what Dawn would have to say if anyone bothered her little sister. Haha… Love you, Lee.
Best friends are precious. Mine helped me grow and lose some of my childhood fears. We lost touch for a while, but now
we’re friends again on FB. You cannot make it through life in a peaceful way, without a best friend.
“You cannot make it through life in a peaceful way, without a best friend.” Your words, right there, that’s everything. Thank you for sharing, Beth!