I just got off the phone with Tash.

She was gushing about how beautiful Lucky is. Well, her full name is Lady Luck Ophelia. Lucky, for short.

I know that sounds totally corny, until you learn that Tash and I, in high school, had pet gummi worms. Mine was named Dimitrius Oswald. And those gummi worms lived in a little black and white satin box that the ring bearer carried at my wedding.

In college, we named one of our plants Antonio Sabato Banderas, Jr. Mike, I am so sorry you had to accompany us to Burger King that wintry night. Yes, we are that nuts.

Hey, I never got to have pets.

Now for what I was really going to say. Natasha has been my friend for more than half of my life. Fifteen years, ever since a basketball bus, I think. Sometimes we don't talk for five years. And then we just jump back into touch and it's like a wrinkle in the time/space continuum. And never a cross word of regret.

See, if we ever run into each other in the post office, The Social Hub of Activity in Washburn, ND, we should be able to at least do that with a clean slate. Especially for two people who love each other as much.

(curtain)