Music and Childhood Friends

In this case my longest friend ….. who is also our website goddess on the launch team page.  (wink)

I met Christine in Kindergarten. 1975, we were five years old. Lakeview, Oregon. A small town perfect for children to be free to run, ride and explore. We were best friends instantly. We both had two older siblings (much older in our case) which led us to not only becoming best of friends but truly sisters.

We were almost inseparable until I moved to Northern Virginia in 1982 when I was 12. Between those years many great memories were made, and music was discovered. I think Christine and I developed our first crush in 1977 with the release of Shaun Cassidy’s solo album. We had his poster inside our closet door, and would dance and sing repeatedly to “Da Doo Ron Ron” and “That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll.”

We became pretty good softball players, she was the pitcher, I was the catcher. Because of our close relationship, I felt we were unstoppable. She understood my finger signals and pitched an unbelievable fastball. I could make that throw to second base, in 1/2 a second (or so I thought).

That softball success lead two small town girls to the Oregon State All-Stars, but I am getting ahead of myself. We had this very cool coach. She was beautiful and hip, with flowing long hair and a gentle but enthusiastic way about herself. She also had these unbelievable bell bottom jeans. She would pile Christine and me inside her car, all in the front seat, to take us to different small towns to practice with other top players. She would put on an 8-track tape, and play it loud. It was Foreigner’s “Hot Blooded” to The Cars “My Best Friend’s Girl,” we learned all the words and sang at the top of our lungs, feeling so very grown up, and having the time of our lives.

We also liked baseball players. We would ride our bikes to the ballpark and watch the practices. Later, we would listen to songs such as the Eagles “Heartache Tonight” or Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson” not really knowing what the songs were about, but dancing in my parents living room, just the same. There was also the Grease album, which we acted and reacted every role along with the music. Then there was our roller skates and our new boom boxes that we would set up to listen to Donna Summer’s “Hot Stuff” or “Last Dance,” whirling and twirling all the while.

When I hear one of our songs, I think of my dear Christine and am transformed to my lovely childhood. The two of us, wild and free, having the best of time. Music just does that, brings it all back.

Please let me know some the music you enjoyed with childhood friends.

(Christine and I also loved to huddle in and read the likes of Judy Blume, and of course Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. The ’70s TV show was one of our very favorites. Yes, Shaun Cassidy was also Joe Hardy. Yes, you can swoon.)