The "BFF Reunited" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting on the rear patio of one of my wife Carol's best friends from high school, Betty Ann and her husband Jay, talking about years past and reminiscing about some of the best times in our lives.  Carol grew up in the city of Lancaster, PA until the early 1950's  when her dad designed a new house for his family, bought land in southern Lancaster County known as Martic Forge from Betty Ann's father and had his home built along the Pequea Creek.  In 1953, right after Carol had finished Kindergarten, the Baker family moved into their new home on a nameless lane near the Pennsylvania Railroad trestle bridge in Martic Forge.  Carol and her mom and dad moved from a row home in the west end of the city to a single home with plenty of land along a crushed stone lane with the meandering Pequea Creek at the foot of the property directly to the front of their lovely new home.  Carol entered Martic Elementary School as a first grader not knowing  anyone in her class.  

Early photo of friends Betty Ann and Carol
taken in Margate, NJ while on vacation together.

Across the creek from Carol lived another girl her age who she would only get to know when they both entered Penn Manor Junior High, since the creek divided the two eventual friends into different school areas.  Sometime in her early teens Carol's dad brought a new family member home .... "Blackie," a part quarter-horse and part Tennessee Walker, whom she claimed for herself.  Seems her friend Betty Ann also had a rather large light-colored horse named Belle and the two friends gained a newly found friendship that lasted years.  On school days they would ride the bus home, saddle their horses and meet at a pre-determined location for a ride through the orchards, fields and fertile farmland of southern Lancaster County.  Belle was famous for eating peaches from the trees and spitting the pits out while Blackie was known for stealing cigarettes from the blacksmith who put shoes on him and eating them.  On Saturdays or Sundays the two friends would pack lunch and spend the afternoons riding the same hills over again.  Carol had a transistor radio with a strap she could attach to her saddle so they could listen to rock and roll music as they rode.  Summer saw Carol and Betty Ann riding and spending more time together.  The two learned life lessons together with all the responsibilities associated with having a horse.  Carol's dad had built a barn with two stalls, but never got another horse for himself and Carol was responsible for all the chores associated with raising her horse.  

Betty Ann and Carol a few weeks ago.

After high school Carol and Betty Ann both married and needed time to raise their families and sort of lost touch with each other.  Then a few months ago they both got letters in the mail about their class' 50th reunion.  Neither cared to go to the reunion so they got in touch with each other, had lunch together and Carol and I were invited to Betty Ann and Jay's new Carriage House for burgers and roasting ears.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but as soon as we arrived it was as if we had just visited with them recently.  Had a great evening talking about the last half-century.  Times change, but good friends never fade.  Carol and Betty Ann are making plans to travel around all the hills and valleys where they used to ride their horses.  Just like old times!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.