Adios Amiga

I had a lovely post about mud pies all ready to go, but I find myself not in the mood for frivolity tonight. J., one of my closest and dearest friends, is moving to Chicago tomorrow. She's going for all the right reasons - love, career, better pizza. I can't say that I blame her. Instead, I blame her fiance. He had to go and be all smart and successful and charming and love her to distraction so she would move away. Stupid boys.

J. and I met our first year of medical school. She was my level-headed conscience when I came up with ridiculous ideas that had very good odds of getting me kicked out of school. She was also my conspirator in crime when I had ridiculous ideas that had lower odds of getting us kicked out. (Reference the "kick me sign" story and the "syphilis cookies" idea.) We solved a thousand crosswords together in the back of class, watched movies when we were supposed to be listening to lecture, pulled peanut brittle, and made caramels at Christmas. We cried over the same sappy movies and laughed at the same jokes.

She ventured south for me, and I braved going outside in Northern winters for her. We explored Spain together. We had dinners of goat cheese, baguettes, and honey; drank cava and vino in great restaurants and dives. We shared a love for dark chocolate and a hatred for monuments under construction.

She rescued me from myself and from the airport police. She has more shoes than I do, which is a feat unto itself. She emails me Pearls comics when they remind her of me or to cheer me up. (I am always Rat. You would think with my sunny optimistic outlook and eternal faith in humankind I would be Pig. You would be delusional.)

I will miss her terribly. I know it's not like she's moving to Mars....but it's close.