The Few

Just shy of twelve years ago, I turned twenty-three among a sea of fabulous friends.  I loved my life.  I loved my friends, of which there were many.  Many of high quality.  Many with the potential to be "bests."  Many of whom I had known for my whole life in this little town where we were in the same classes from kindergarten through senior year.  Many who meant the world to me at the time.  

When we're twenty-three, the many seem infinitely important.  At that age, we're a tribe, moving through life like a force of nature, leaving smiles, incredulous gasps and epic stories in our wake.  Everything seems so important.

Looking back now, many of those things that seemed so big at the time are overshadowed by just a few.  The few true friendships that endure, even through this beautiful mess we call adulthood.  The few nights that continue to invade my memory even after so many truly gigantic things have happened since.

The weekend of my twenty-third birthday, a man who would become one of The Few invited me to sit in the audience while he performed at a Vegas-style lounge show at our favorite karaoke spot.  That's right.  We met while singing karaoke.  We RULED that shit.  Over the course of a couple of years leading up to this weekend, we had become bar friends.  Yup.  Some of The Many.  Funny how that can change, huh?

Let's call him Brother T.

That night, Brother T's good friend was also in attendance.  I was there with my bestie of umpteen years, and I was nursing a hangover and a major crush on Brother T's buddy.  This boy was absolutely gorgeous, and I wanted to know more.  

So I covertly asked Brother T a couple of questions.  What was his name?  How old was he?  Where was he from?

In classic Brother T style (he's not known for being shy), answers were boomed out in his very best radio announcer voice.

Did I mention I was twenty-three?  And kinda shy?  Now, don't judge me...

I made a beeline for the bathroom, where I remained for an embarrassing amount of time.  My bestie and I camped out in there, smoking cigarettes (yup, this was when you could still smoke in bars) and sending out for drinks every so often.

It wasn't as peaceful as you might think, though.  Brother T, ever the introvert (ahem), pounded on the door and stuck his head in to laugh at me.  He convinced me to go back into the lounge - back to my table that was right in front of Gorgeous Boy.

I slunk to my seat, feeling extremely silly.  It seems that while we were hiding out, Brother T must have told Gorgeous Boy about my immature freak-out in a way that apparently didn't make me seem all that immature after all.  Guess it helps that he's a salesman...

Gorgeous Boy bought me a drink, and we started talking.  It turned out that we had some things in common, and we spent the next few weeks getting to know each other while going out with Brother T and hanging out at his house.

Six months in, Gorgeous Boy became The Fiance.  One year later, The Fiance became The Hubbs.

Yup.  My karaoke buddy introduced me to the love of my life.  And did I mention the fact that I bought Brother T's house when he moved out of state?  I mean, it would have been irresponsible not to.  This is the first place The Hubbs ever kissed me.  We're talking lifetime landmark here, people.  This place had to be preserved!

***

The Hubbs and Brother T were in a band together, and they were really good.  Not too long after I started spending all my time with them, they introduced me to another member of the band.  The social network was growing and growing, but these three, they were to become some of The Few.

That third band member?  Uncle D.  If you've spent any time at all on this blog, you'll know Uncle D as The Hubbs' bestie and Piggy's favorite human.  

***

It's been almost eleven years since I bought Brother T's house, though it feels like almost no time has passed.  A little over eight years ago was the last time we saw Brother T in person.  It's been hard to be so far apart for so long...

...but yesterday was one of The Few days that will live on forever.

Brother T and his lovely bride, Red, are in town this week.  Even though it was a school night, we all decided it was time to get the band back together (we were on a mission from God!).

The best part?  It felt like no time had passed at all.  The night flew by as we played all the old songs and sang our hearts out into the wee hours of the morning.  

The Hubbs and Brother T, warming up the ol' pipes

Me and Red.  I swear this gal is the sister I never had.

The Hubbs, Uncle D and Brother T in their truest form

The band!  I LOVE THESE BOYS!

There are no words for how this makes me feel.  Oh, wait.  Yes there are,
and as it turns out, I need only one.  Home.

It's nights like this that make me immensely thankful for my life.  So, so many things happen in our lives, and it's easy to get lost in that.  But when you find The Few, you hang on for dear life.  After all, they don't come along often, and that's what makes them so very, very special.