Michael

I remember meeting him in 1994, if the date is wrong, I know he will correct me.  We met at Blockbuster Video, my schedule was Saturdays from 9-5. I'd run the store and he'd sit in back watching Wimbledon.  We were friends against his will.  Mike is a bit of a loner, always has been but I forced my friendship on him.  And because I'm sneaky we fell in love. We were married only for 8 months, realizing that after dating for 2 years and being married that we were so much better as friends. 

It was tough breaking up, both of us dealing with our anger and hurt in different ways.  Once I stopped protecting him from my family and got angry we stopped speaking.  And yes, I sent back his Christmas card and signed it so he would know it was me sending it back.  But then, but then we ran into each other at Macaroni Grill and exchanged business cards and started talking.  We talked a lot, and cried some.  Ok, mostly I cried.  That was in 2003 and after a few years we found our way back to friends.

We tend not to count the years we didn’t speak and talk about our friendship as being 21 years strong now.  There are few people on the planet who know me as well as Mike, maybe one but he broke up with me three weeks ago.  Mike has been steadfast in his support of me.  We've grown up together.  Gone are the days when either of us would run or shy away from honesty or asking for help. 

Mike has seen me at my best, glowing with love, basking in B's love. He's seen me at my worst with mascara running and snot bubbles. He has stayed when I asked and held me as I cried, he's stepped back and away from me when I needed space.  He has learned me in the past 20 years and I hope I've learned him too.  He is probably the person I've leaned on the most in the past few weeks.  This is what true friendship is, this unconditional acceptance and occasional ass kicking from only someone who loves you in spite of yourself can give you.

No one in our lives understands our friendship, why after so many years and our total love and devotion we aren't together.  We know that the best thing for us is to stay friends and just love each other as we are.  Hold each other up and support each other as much as we can. I will love Mike until the day I die, I will be there no matter what, and eventually when we are old and gray I will make sure the cat doesn't eat his face when he dies in his easy chair from a stroke over his beloved Hawks.  And I know no matter how many times my heart gets broken, Mike will be there to hold me up and dry my tears and buy me vodka tonics.