I would like to dedicate today's entry to my friend Rachel. I haven't seen her in nearly two years, but she emailed me about a week ago to tell me she's going to college in the fall at Fredonia. I'm so unbelievably proud of her.
When Rachel and I met, we were both troublemakers. She made me into more of a troublemaker. I probably did the same to her. Nobody thought either one of us would ever make it anywhere. A columnist for the local paper used to say it was good that our hangout was so close to the Salvation Army bread line, because we were heading straight in that direction.
She's going to school now. She seems so happy. She's even getting out of Binghamton. She even has a boyfriend who doesn't have a girlfriend (which, for her, is at least pretty close to being a first). I am so proud of her.
When I first went to college, in Santa Fe, my friend Angela made me a care package. There wasn't anything really exciting in it, just stuff she knew I'd need for dorm living: extension cords, bandaids, a beautiful new journal... I will be making one for my friend Rachel. I hope she knows that I love her, and that I think about her all the time. I wish her the greatest of luck.
I wish I knew how to say that sort of thing without sounding hokey.
~Helena*