Complete opposites. Camp Director and Little Red Riding Hood. She's brainy, intellectual and serious! I'm A.D.D and don't care about most things.
Wary of each other, we bonded over a hellish Thursday at Molly's when 500 Shriner dudes descended upon our fine establishment. A 3 hour wait and every freaking Shriner in a Fez trying to slap their bumper stickers on every girl's ass in the place. She won my heart when she sharply dressed down a drunken FezBoy with the words, "Sir, if you come anywhere near me you are going to draw back a bloody stump."
I won her heart by calmly handling my 1st time running the podium while she handled the Club Door. We ROCKED that night! Somehow we managed to get every last wild ass Shriner into dinner on time. Newly ordained into the Pod position, we knew we had serious shoes to fill. We'd heard all about the greats before us like, Joanne Freeh, Petunia and our trainer, Hot lips Houlihan. At Molly's if you were great on Podium, and could handle crazy ass 2 hour Saturday nights, you could pretty much run the place and get away with murder.
Ever the little activist, Campy taught me to care a little more about the world and pay attention. Don't even start a debate with her. You won't win. Girl can bring it like no one else I know when it comes to issues in the world. In turn, I think I allow her to get in touch with spontaneity, laughing and going crazy!
First time I sang my dirty lyrics to "Pina Colada" on a slow Sunday, I thought she was gonna die. She pursed her serious little lips and then just CRACKED up laughing. I knew I had her. Then we started talking about boys. We both had just ended romances with our dream boys. We were walking wounded. We both went on a run of dating every bad boy we could find for a couple of years.
We became roomies and went through being dirt poor together. Trying to work full time and going to school meant eating our one meal of soup and salad every freaking day at Molly's. We prayed (and cursed) on a daily basis, hoping our cars would make it. Hers would not go in reverse. I think mine had an issue with forward at one point. Her car was a Ford Ranchero. She called it "Fucking Bitch"- FB for short. I called mine MALIBLUE- because you never knew if it would start or not.
Our apartment was in this old Victorian house. We had a bitchin' claw foot tub bathtub with a Kenny Loggins poster on the ceiling. Ahhhh Kenny. Which reminds me that Kelz taught me to harmonize. To this day, I can sing with her in perfect harmony. Our version of "Peace of Mind." is KILLER if I do say so myself.
Once Kelly and I were so overwhelmed with poverty, work and school, we talked one of the bartenders into giving us a 6 pack of Elephant Beer and went over to the bank parking lot by Molly's and drank it all down in like 30 minutes. Problem was that it was a Saturday and we were due back at Molly's for 5 p.m. opening. We sheepishly called Dr. Feelgood, who was Service Director for the night (and our really good friend), and he came and got us. You don't want to be tipsy on a 2 hour wait Saturday Night. Not when you're running the Podium. Somehow, with the help of the good Dr, we muddled through. Kelly went home early. We were both ahem "flirting" with Upper Management, so we got away with it. That and the fact that we could rock that Podium/Club Door like champs!
Through thick and thin, we have stayed best friends. She put up with me teaching her 3 year old to blow on the dice while playing CANDYLAND and saying "Luck be a lady tonight." He repeated the phrase all day the next day- which happened to be Christmas- in front of his very, very strict Baptist Great Gran. I put up with her exasperation at my packing habits (throw it all into whatever happens to be handy) and lack of organization.
When I took on raising my friend's little boys, she didn't ask the million questions everyone else was asking. She just listened, advised and somehow understood it was something I had to do. She was AWESOME! She got me through that one like a trooper! She is an advocate for the children of teen parents by profession and is so good at what she does. She is someone who really does make a difference in this world.
We can make each other laugh like there is no tomorrow. She has the uncanny ability of knowing when she needs to give me a call. It is weird. She is dialed into my psyche. She will call me on my bullshit faster than anyone. I can also tell when she needs a little crazy ass note or fun phone call.
She's coming this weekend!!!! I love her and know we will have the best time. We'll drink margaritas, hang out at Torrey Pines, read trashy magazines, talk about the world and just revel in friendship!
Camp Director.......
