The Two Dollar Friend

I moved from Ohio to Arizona a zillion years ago in the summer.  There was more than a climate change to deal with; there was a huge cultural change as well.  Where I came from 12-year olds were still kids.  We played in the grass, we played in the mud, we rode bikes, we climbed trees, mostly we played outside but sometimes we got together inside and played with toys.  We dressed in rugged, durable clothes our mothers brought home to us.  There was a pack of us who hung together, girls and boys.  Twelve year olds in Arizona were full-on pre-teenagers, obsessed with their looks, fashion, and periods.  Girls never went outside unless it was to "lay out" by the pool.  They would squeal if a boy came near.

That fall, I started junior high school.  Not long after arriving, I was befriended by a girl in the grade ahead of mine.  I no longer remember her name, but I remember her fake name.  She was quite adamant that she wished her name was Kristna and asked that her friends call her that.  Since she was a grade ahead of me, we only had one elective class together.  Since we didn't have classes together we hung out before school and waved at each other if we passed during the day.  No one else, seemed interested in being my friend, so it was nice to have her around.  We never talked on the phone or saw each other outside of school.

One day she asked to borrow $2 from me for lunch. It was rather a big deal for me since I rarely had any money.  I was still a kid who brought the lunch my mother made me to school in a sack (I learned real quick to ditch the Scooby Doo lunch box), so I had no lunch money.  I didn't want for lip gloss and eye shadow.  I wasn't saving for a pair of Jordache jeans or desiring a flat comb to put in the side pocket of my painter's pants. In fact, I didn't have painter's pants.  I had hand-me-down clothes from the neighbor lady's daughters.  However, I was so proud that I actually had two dollars for my friend to borrow.

Several weeks had passed and I was worried about the $2.  No telling, why I had it in the first place, but I remember wondering if my mom would be mad that I didn't have it anymore.  So I asked "Kristna" if she could pay me the $2 back soon.  I remember the scene as clear as if it were yesterday.  She was rummaging around in her locker and said, "Yeah, I've been meaning to talk to you about that."  She turned to me, "I really need that two dollars you borrowed from me back."   What?!  I explained to her that I didn't borrow two dollars from her; she had borrowed it from me.  Oh no, she was quite insistent that I had borrowed it from her.  We went back on forth on this a bit. Finally, she slammed her locker shut and took off, "See ya 'round!"  I was confused but decided it must be some "practical joke" that I wasn't getting.

I let it slid for awhile, sure she would come up with the $2, a smile, and an explanation for the whole thing, but it didn't happen.  Finally, I brought up the subject again and the results were the same.  I scanned her faced for signs of merriment or that it was a joke, but it wasn't there.  She was deadly serious.  I turned away and we never were friends again.

Even though I had no other friends, I wasn't willing to sell myself for two bucks to this chick.  I was hurt and confused by it, but considered it a valuable lesson--a two dollar lesson if you will.


Lean on me, but don't ask me for two bucks.

In hindsight, I wonder why a girl in 8th grade would hang out with a 7th grader and didn't seem to have friends her own age.  There was a huge line of distinction between grades at the school and those in different grades never mingled except for in the few elective classes that were open to all grades.  Different grades even had different lunch times.

I have no idea why I put up a story of a screwed up friendship with such sweet friendships card, except for some reason I thought of it today, probably because yesterday I thought of this other useless idiot I once knew.  And one useless idiot leads to another....

The Fine Print: I had a friend, not named Kristna for real or pretend, say she likes it when I share stories on my blog.  You can tell me yay or nay and I may or may not listen. Stamps by Stampin' Up,standing girls from "The Nicest Things," papers by My Mind's Eye "Vanity Fiar" and couch girls from "Lean on Me," papers "Raspberry Road Designs" (a magazne freebie).