When I was sick, I looked horrible.
I was jaundice, had sores all over my body and my cheeks were sunken in. Most of my peers looked at me with disgust and pity. As a teenager, when you are different (and especially if no one knows why you are) it can be extremely hard and most likely you lack many allies. During the time of my illness, I was lucky to have a friend who saw through the dark sad eyes to see the person inside. Allison was a full foot shorter than me, but at a school where my popularity severly lacked, she was my protector - alongside my brother. When I cried about how bad I felt, she listened and usually made me laugh. In alot of ways we are very different. She was the wild one in high school, sneaking out at night and consuming an alcoholic beverage on occassion while maintaining the face of an angel. I was the half of the friendship who was scared to death of defying my parents rules, but I would argue with them over the rules until I was blue in the face. I had a loud voice when arguing and you had to strain to hear Allison talk. It was not uncommon in our college years for us to get pulled over by cops for committing some major traffic violation. I always was the driver and would most likely say something that was sure to get me a ticket. Allison would step in to speak on my behalf - completely blaming all sins of the earth on me, but by the end of her conversation with the cop, not only would he be confused on what law I had broken, but he would be apologizing for pulling us over and offering a police escort home. Twenty years later we are still friends. I don't think in all this time Allison and I have ever had a fight. As adults we seem to have the same experiences as our youth and laugh when we wander around for 30 minutes having no clue where my car is (I still find myself carting her butt around). Being friends with Allison has always given me an escape from reality for a few hours. With Allison there is no judgement for illness, bad relationship decisions, family dysfunction; her friendship is one with no strings attached...a pure friendship that we all hope in our life we hope to be lucky enough to have one or two of these. Day or night, when I needed her, she was there. I hope one day that I can return the loyalty that she's shown me through the years.
