My friend Liz called me a few weeks back and asked if I wanted to use her spare ticket to the Fleetwood Mac concert. "Of course," I responded immediately, already looking forward to the girls’ night out.
Liz and I have been friends for probably ten years now. I don't get to see her often, because I'm busy with work and my family, and she is busy with her job, husband and career in the military reserves. I saw her unexpectedly this summer at a seminar we both attended, but not since; and I couldn't wait to see her again.
The concert didn't start until 8:00 p.m., but I was at her doorstep ready to begin girls’ night out by 5:00. After all, part of the fun is catching up. I'm sure you would agree that conversation with a good friend is so much easier than with anyone else. Where I am shy and reserved at cocktail parties, work mixers, and school events, when you get me together with an old friend I can't seem to stop talking.
And, talk we did. We talked about the fall weather and how great it feels to run through the fallen leaves and make crunching noises with our feet. We talked about California's new governor, Liz's new car and my new book. We talked about America's activities abroad, the state of the military reserves and the possibility that Liz may be called up to serve. We covered the traveling we'd both done since we'd seen each other last - my weekend trips over the summer and a business trip to California; her numerous work excursions and a recent anniversary cruise. Then it was on to our jobs: the dress codes, our relationships with our co-workers and the projects we had coming up. Of course we covered the pending holidays. My son's experiences with Kindergarten. Her in-laws.
Over dinner we discussed the 10 mile race she'd recently run, diets, and exercise (all as we devoured appetizers and dinner - but hey, we skipped dessert). We'd both been to the doctor recently, so we discussed all of the results from those visits in minute detail. We had a lengthy discussion on the Kobe Bryant scandal. And our dogs (mine is getting old and hers is shedding). We shared the books we had read and were reading, and the movies we'd seen.
The bartender at the restaurant found our table and asked me if I was the one who'd ordered the melon ball. When I admitted I was, he said he just wanted to make sure it tasted okay because he hadn't made one since the eighties when he worked in a disco bar. After he left, Liz knew all the right things to say to keep me from feeling like an ancient disco queen.
Despite the fact that we'd started early, we talked so much we were almost late to the concert. As we walked to the car, I mentioned how great it was to have a long, satisfying conversation with a friend. Although I hadn't realized it before that evening, it had been too long since I had made time for that.
As we waited for the concert to start, Liz said she'd read an article recently on the therapeutic benefits of spending time with girl friends. Family and acquaintances were important, but of the women polled in the article, the ones that made time with their friends reported to be the happiest. I must say, I agree with that article’s results. When was the last time you had a girls’ night out?
