So before I headed over to the beautiful country of Italy, I stopped over in New York, my birthplace. Now, people try to tell me that since I moved out to California when I was only 6, I’m not a real “New Yorker”. I say, psshhh to that. It’s my home and I was old enough to remember how it was to live there, and be surrounded by family. Now that family is pretty far flung, as they’ve mostly left or moved to different parts of Long Island in the last 15 years. But being back just brings back a flood of emotions and memories, both from when I lived in NY and on one of my many visits. It was a quick visit. I got in at 8 p.m. Wednesday and left by 5:45 (late takeoff...not happy...but that’s for a different post) Friday. Not even 48 hours. But I packed those full.
Wednesday night was spent with my aunt and her family in Brooklyn. Low key, pizza for dinner with the tv flipping back and forth between the Mets game and the Yankees game. Thanks to my uncle for being nice enough to put the Yanks on....theirs is a Mets household. Even though my cousin went to school Thursday morning with a brand new “New York Yankees 27 World Championships”. Hell yes. We’re working on him. Thursday was my favorite day. I drove into work with my aunt and because of L.I. traffic got to have a good talk with her. She’s my godmother and I don’t talk to her nearly enough, besides only seeing her once in a blue moon. Spent a little time at the office and met all her coworkers, who all knew exactly who I was and where I was going and “oh I’ve heard so much about you!” What can I say? My aunt loves me =).
Then came my favorite part of my favorite day. My best friend since BIRTH (yes birth, ask my parents) picked me up and OH I was so happy to see her. I hadn’t seen her since 2007 and 3 years is far too long of a time to go without seeing your best friend. I have a few best friends but Samantha is my truest, longest, oldest best friend. There’s a picture to prove that we’ve known each other since before I was born. Seriously.
So Sam picked me up and we attempted a few crazy last minute errands on my behalf, which failed miserably. But it’s ok I had a backup plan. Got lunch and went back to her new house. Now she and her family recently built a new house in a different part of L.I. and I hadn’t seen it yet. And I have just memorized her new address. I still have her old one ingrained in my head from writing letters back and forth all throughout junior high and early high school (Facebook? That didn’t exist just yet). So I got the grand tour, then we headed back out West to say hello to my dad’s mom who I also hadn’t seen in 3 years. And I don’t know what came over me but by the time we left I was on the verge of tears. Talking to her and looking at old pictures and looking around the old house just made me so emotional. I did choke up. I know why but it’s hard to put it in words. She’s old. She’s not in the best shape (although she still lives on her own). I know that this next visit at the end of the summer may very well be the last time I see her and that breaks my heart. I joke about her sometimes but I do love her. She took and my late grandfather took care of me when I was younger while my parents were at work. There’s a button picture on the wall of me with the both of them when I was 3. I nearly grabbed it because I want it near me all the time. Ah I’m tearing up thinking about it right now.
When we left, as I said, I was about to cry. So I needed to get out of there before I really did start crying, which would make her cry and well two women crying never leads to stopping anytime soon. Just ask my mom (more on that later). Sam and I got back in the car and took off back to her place for her mom’s at home birthday dinner. Picked up dinner to go because the birthday girl shouldn’t have to cook on her special day and bam I was 12 again with my best friend’s family who love me as their own. Except now, Sam mixes drinks for us and gets her mom buzzed on her birthday. Love it.
And just like old times, I spent the night, unplanned (very funny) and her bed is big enough that we were both in it and didn’t disturb each other at all. That is true friendship. Sam is like another sister to me and I’ve already informed that (needless to say) she’s in my wedding (that wedding that is no where near being ready to happen....oi vey). And this morning (Friday) we woke up and just like when I would visit when I was younger, her mom made us Mickey Mouse waffles =). Headed back to Brooklyn to pack up my things (I hadn’t planned on staying over and omygoodness my room was a mess..of course) and then Sam dropped me off at JFK. And as soon as I went to hug her I got this panicked feeling. I choked up, teared up and started crying. All while trying to maneuver a huge backpack and two huge rolling suitcases. I must have looked ridiculous.
And here I am a few hours later, somewhere over the Atlantic, on my way to Italy. Sitting amidst strangers. Ahh the possibilities of this summer.
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