Think back, Who was your best friend in grade school. Please first names only. Mine was Maryann. We did all kinds of

[debm55]

stuff together.---biking, swimming, taking classes together. play baseball with our group. and go to the Pirates' games. When we moved, I lost her friendship and was lost. I made other friends but none as close as Maryann. Sometimes I still think of her and the adventures we had with our group. We also studied together, played with games. were in scouts together--her mom was the leader.; and played with Barbies. We were in the same class group for 8 years. Wherever you are at, Maryann, I loved you and think of the times we had together.

[Jeebo]

1. His name was Mike Smith.

He became a professional golfer and enjoyed some success. He placed in the top five in the Masters one year in the late 1970s, I think it was, and that was probably the high point of his golf career. He and I were best buddies in our hometown of Selma, Alabama, in the sixth grade in 1961-62. We went our separate ways in junior high school and high school. I don't know what happened to him. I went to my 20-year high school reunion in 1988 and don't remember seeing him there. The next high school reunion I went to was the 50th in 2018 and somebody there told me he had died, but I don't know if that is true. They put out updates of our Parrish High School alums regularly and his name is not on the list of the deceased classmates. Thanks for this opportunity to reminisce a little.

-- Ron

[debm55]

2. You welcome, Jeebo. And thank you for your memories shared with friend Mike.

[LakeArenal]

3. Mary. Nice Catholic girl across the street.

It was really a lovely tree lined boulevard.

We met the Beatles together.

We used to ride bikes as horses. We both spurned Barbie.

We are still Christmas and Birthday Emailers

[debm55]

4. Thank you for sharing your memories of you and your friend Mary. Glad you kept in touch. I moved after 8th grade and

never saw her again.

[Chainfire]

5. Bruce

We were like brothers as kids up until I became a hippie...He became a banker and later a Trumper. His claimed that it made his day foreclose from widows and orphans. I am sure that he still has money from his paper route in the 60s.

[debm55]

6. How differently your paths lead you.

[surrealAmerican]

7. Her name was Lisa.

She was the kind of kid who never stopped talking. I was a listener.

[debm55]

8. Very good, surreal American. You always need a listener (I was one too) and a talker(Maryann) She brough me out of my

shell. TY

[Mad_Dem_X]

9. Marlene.

We met in second grade. She was quiet and shy, like me. We had lots of fun together. We stayed friends through high school, then lost touch shortly after she left town to go to college. Last I heard, she was married with a daughter, living in Virginia. I need to try to get back in touch with her.

[debm55]

11. That would be perfect if you could. I hope you do. Maryann stayed in the Steel Mill town. It was a poor area where we

we lived. I moved with my family to an upper middle class neighborhood. The last I heard , she got pregnant in 10th grade and dropped out of high school and got married. I did a search for her online and the picture was an arrest photo. she looked like she was on Meth. My heart broke for her.

[Harker]

10. Scott.

The last time I saw him, he had a razor blade necklace and a painted pinky.

Suicide at 30 in 1990.

[debm55]

13. How sad. I am sorry for Scott and for you. May the good memories of a childhood friendship with Scott, be forever in

your heart.

[Harker]

19. That's the spirit, Deb!

My best friend through Junior High and High School, Al, was also a suicide.

They helped make me who I am, and I carry them with me always with gratitude.

[debm55]

21. In your childhood , you were blessed to have have them and their friendship. And they were blessed to have you.

[grumpyduck]

12. My neighbor Alex.

He was one grade ahead of me. This was in the late fifties when it was considered okay for boys to play with guns, and between the two of us we had an arsenal of plastic military-type gear, including uniforms. We would watch a WWII movie and then go outside and play it out. We also had other lots of other stuff, but kept going back to those movies. He later became a Franciscan friar and passed away some years ago.

I spent six years in the military, and to this day have no interest in guns.

[debm55]

14. So sorry for you grumpyduck. May the memories of spending time with Alex forever be in your heart. I agree with the guns

[sinkingfeeling]

15. Her name is Karen and we met at age 3. We're still in contact 73 years later. Went from

first grade all the way to high school graduation together.. She still lives near where we were born, but I've moved all over the country.

[debm55]

16. What a beautiful post, sinkingfeeling. I am so glad you stayed in touch with Karen.

[rsdsharp]

17. That would be Jim. He moved to town the summer after 4th grade.

His father was a doctor, and they moved from a small town 10 miles away, when his father went into partnership with our family doctor.

His desk was right behind mine in 5th grade. We became very close, and remained so through high school, despite the disparity in our family’s social positions.

He was always the smartest kid in school, and graduated as valedictorian, and was our starting quarterback. We lost touch after high school, but reconnected near the 40th anniversary of our graduation.

We now exchange e-mails periodically, and I need to remember to send one on his 70th birthday next month.

[debm55]

18. rsdsharp, I am so happy that you remained friends with Jim. In my area the working class didn't mix with the "upper

middle" nor was any of my Afro American friends welcomes. I really did have friends in my new area that I could share with.They thought they shit gold. I went back to my shell for the rest of junior and senior high. Did very well but was loney with Maryanne and the group. Hell in school and at home. At 18 , I left the snobs and met a group of all kinds of people. Thank you for your post.

[kimbutgar]

20. Mine was Cathy and we are still friends after meeting at 6 years old!

And I still help her out financially at times because she’s had a lot of bad luck in her life. Bad marriage to a cheating husband, divorced single Mom of 2, took care of her elderly parents and started drinking so much that when her parents passed she lost the home she inherited to foreclosure due to one of those balloon loans, homeless, then Ovarian cancer and now dealing with her older sister who is incapacitated and in a skilled nursing home. I helped her clear out the contents of her sisters apartment recently and paid the haulers myself.

But she was there when I got divorced from my first awful husband, was with me the night I met my husband now of 34 years, attended our small wedding and came to the hospital the day my son was born. My parents had planned a cruise but my son ended up being 2 weeks late!

[debm55]

22. kimbutgar you both you and Cathy will last forever. You're friend will never die,but live in the hearts of both of you

[malthaussen]

23. Best friend was Kurt, but I only had him about two years...

... people moved around a lot when I was a kid. I had no really long-term friends until I was an adult.

-- Mal

[debm55]

25. But you did have those two years together, Keep those two years of friendship with Kurt in your heart,

[Swede]

24. My best friend was Kieth. Right from grade 1 all the way to 12.

We partied hard for a few years after. Then life came along a we went our seperate ways. We stayed in touch, and every decade or so we got together.
He died in a motorcycle accident, and I do miss him.

[debm55]

26. Keep your friendship with your friend in your heart, Keith's memories will forever be there.

[LisaM]

27. Her name was Debbie.

We moved when I was in third grade, and eventually lost touch (we'd go back to the old neighborhood often because relatives still lived in our house).

For her birthday party every year, her parents rented a small carrousel that they set up in the garage. It was a huge deal!

I lost track of her somehow and can't find her, but I think of her often.

[debm55]

32. Sad that happened. She sounds like fun.

[Upthevibe]

28. debm55.......

It sounds like you and Maryann had a lot of good times together whatever happened to her? Could you guys reconnect?

[debm55]

30. I tried to. When I was on FaceBook , I tried. I have relatives that still like in the once Steel Mill Town and they have

no idea where she was. I even paid a search on an internet site to locate her. That is when I found the prison photo. and her alias names she used.

[Upthevibe]

35. debm55.........

OMG! That's unfortunate......Wow......

[comradebillyboy]

29. I attended five different elementary schools so I never

had that long term friendship experience.

[debm55]

31. Same with my husband. His dad was a career Marine, They moved frequently.

[Upthevibe]

33. debm55......

I am literally in one of my childhood friends house now! (my apologies for the length of this post )

There's a group of us who grew up together since the first grade and we're still close

(I'm going to use alias names):
I'm at Sandi's now (in TX where we're all from) helping her with her small business when school's out for the summers and holidays and there's no work for me as a substitute teacher. I consider her a sister. She's a progressive and a Christian and she's one of the truly good Christians! I love and adore her.

Then there's Becky who's been the glue that's held us all together. She and her husband live in another state now. We didn't speak for two years because she was a trumper. We mended our friendship when Sandi became ill in 2022 and we needed to band together. Becky's no longer a trumper, is disgusted with what's happening in TX regarding abortions, and will probably never vote again (which is fine with me). We simply don't discuss politics. I love her as a sister. We live on different coasts so only see each other when we meet in the middle in TX at Sandi's. She and I had an absolute blast together while in our 20's by partying a whole lot.

Lynda and I knew each other at birth! Our mothers were good friends and pregnant with us at the same time. We were born three weeks apart! My first memory as a human being was when we were toddlers (probably around three) and we were in my room playing. We've been through EVERYTHING together! Marriages, divorces, having kids, partying in our 20's. We both quit drinking about one year apart and have been recovering alcoholics for 33 years! I saw her over the summer here in TX. She's a Republican and a Christian but we don't discuss politics. My sense is she detests trump but I don't want to bring anything up. I love her very much too.

We lost touch with Katey when her family moved from our hometown in TX to another small town when we were Juniors in High school. Becky was able to find her about 15 years ago. She had a tough time in two marriages but is now with a fantastic man! They are both very progressive and long to move out of TX (but her grown kids are here and she just wouldn't be able to leave them). She and her husband spent New Years day with Sandi and me! I love her very much too...

I know what we "girls" have is very, very special. I truly feel blessed......

[debm55]

36. And you are blessed.

[Different Drummer]

34. Tommie.

We met in junior high and were in the same home room all through junior high and high school since our last names start with the same letter. Also, we had being only children in common.

[debm55]

37. Thank you Different Drummer. You must have many shared memories with Tommie.

[Emile]

38. Derald, he died of cancer at 32 yrs in 1986 leaving

behind his wife and 4 young daughters. I was a couple years older than him, but we knew each other from the time I was in the first grade in 1957. Still close friends with his older brother.

[debm55]

39. So sorry for the lose of your friend. May his memories be a blessing to you and his family.

[3catwoman3]

40. One of 2 close friends from 3rd grade thru high school...

...I no longer consider a friend. Our lives took fairly different paths in many ways. She stayed in our hometown most of her life, married early and has been divorced twice. Did not go on for any higher education, except bible "college." Married to husband #3, who is the long-ago ex-boyfriend of my other close childhood friend, which feels a little weird. She is ultra-religious, and puts all kinds of rightwing crap on her Facebook page, sometimes several times a day.

I went to nursing school, then got certified as a peds nurse practitioner, spent 4 years on active duty in the Air Force nurse corps, and was stationed in San Antonio TX and at Yokota Air Base in Japan, outside of Tokyo. Used my GI bill to get my master's degree. Didn't marry until I was almost 31

When I saw her use the word "libtard" in one of her posts, I knew we no longer had anything in common. I decided not to ask her if she knew she was talking about me. Except to say a brief hello, I avoided her at our high school 50th reunion in 2019.

I know we express some very strongly worded negative opinions about the right wingers here on DU. I choose not to express them in other public settings because I never assume other people think the same way I do unless they have made it known, and I think it's rude to call people names in public.

[debm55]

42. How can she be a "Christian" and on her third marriage? And a Trumper? You lived a well rounded life and I admire you

have done in your life. I was in nursing for two years. ==wanted to be a peds nurse at Childrens Hospital in Pittsburgh. Perhaps she is jealous of you. I would cut her out of my life and defriend her on Facebook. So sad this happened to you.

[3catwoman3]

44. I don't think she has the least idea that we think differently on...

...the most fundamental things in life. Rather than being jealous of me, she'd probably be praying for me to accept Jesus and be saved if she knew I didn't share her beliefs. She posts very judgmental and intolerant statements, and then encourages people not to be judgmental and intolerant. None so blind, as the saying goes.

This is typical of her religion-related posts:

Things that WON'T get you into Heaven:
Good works, baptism, church, religion, Sunday school, charity,
money, mass communion, parents, political affiliation,
denomination, friends, positive thinking, and just being a "good person."

Things that WILL get you into Heaven:
Jesus

I had to bite my keyboard, so to speak, not to reply with something along these lines, "Something else that won't get you into Heaven is being intolerant and judgmental while professing to be a Christian, and thinking nothing else you do, no matter how despicable, matters as long as you've accepted Jesus."

I haven't defriended her because I see no profit in potentially hurting her feelings. Perhaps she would not care.

[debm55]

45. My one cousin is a born again. I am a Cafeteria Catholic. Pick and choose what I feel is morally right. Try to live my

by the beatitudes--good works, charity, acts of love. Cousin tells me I am going to burn in hell as I have not accepted Jesus as my personal Savior. Back when I used --2116 , you could defriend or block people Wish you luck, You are a good person .Love debbie

[OldBaldy1701E]

41. There were two.

The first was Darrell. He and I lived across the dirt road from each other. He was the handsome sports dude and I was the dumpy sidekick. The issue was that we were never in the same classes. We would meet on the playground when we had that period at the same time, but we were mostly together when we were home. Then, my family moved, and I met Mark. He lived a distance away from me so we mostly hung out at school. I thought he was my new best friend. That was until the 5th grade. That was until he and two of his buddies who did live in his neighborhood convinced us to go draw on the walls in the coatroom in our class. They also did this to egg us on, but then snuck into the room later and erased their transgressions and turned myself and a few others in.

After that, I had friends but I never referred to anyone as my 'best friend' ever again.

[debm55]

43. Good for you. Even at a very young age , you knew what a best friend was and wasn;t. I am very proud of you. I had a

best friend teacher that I taught with. I twice loaned her 1000 dollars She promised to pay me back.as she had s kids. Then I find out she had her friend from Arizona come and the money was used to rent a Cadilac van to ski resort. I asked for the money to be paid back, She cried and said she didn't have it and would pay me back with the insurance reimbursement we got at the end of the year. I told her that I wanted any money left over, and I wanted paid 100 a paycheck (twice a month) with the rest being paid at the end of school. At that point I no longer considered her my Bestie as the money was to be used for food and toys. That;s what she told me. Learned a lesson NEVER give out money . After I had a concussion from falling down the stairs at school and fired. She never called, sent a card or visited. Right before this Christmas she called. I had not spoken to her since I was fired 2018. I had nothing to say to her.
I realized that she was not my friend. Not just the money, but in almost all ways it was a one way friendship, I learned it later they you.
Take care , you are loved.