My dream away movie starring Peter Sellers as an eccentric concert pianist and two young Brearley-esque ingenues who groupie their way around New York City. I had a crush on the entire movie. The friendship between Val and Gil served as the prototype for my best friendships and our shared tuna fish sandwiches with malteds stirred by pretzels. It was based on a book by Nora Johnson written in 1964. The movie directed by George Roy Hill also extrapolated the concept of infidelity. Ah! men. I too had my own Henry Orient in high school. Mr. Schmoltze the Director of the all school musical was my man crush. Loyalty is Royalty. Good friendships never go out of style. Stay in close touch with the friends that touch you deeply. Friendship and trust are synonymous. “We’ll always be bosom buddies, friends, sisters and pals. “I’ll always be Alice Toklas if you’ll be Gertrude Stein. Auntie Mame had her priorities in order at least when it came to friendships. Sometimes we call our friend just to hear her voice. There is a treasured certainty in knowing we haven’t thrown each other out after all the tales of woe we’ve shared. Our discussions so much cheaper than therapy. We paint a picture, create a collage or write a poem inserting a compilation of shared memories. We know we will never “Walk Alone.” 

So did Kelly Ripa get thrown under the bus over Michael Strahan’s departure? Lack of loyalty and trust and over is over. We think of Betty and Veronica’s chasing after Archie and Reggie. We loved the Lucy and Ethel make chocolate episode. Louise flees to Mexico and Thelma drives alongside of her. Who didn’t weep as we watched Barbara Hersey become the wind beneath Bette Midler’s wings in Beaches? How about that bond that Aibileen and Minny developed through bigotry and hardship in The Help. I can’t stop the examples as they flood thru my veins. The truth that friendships reveal are delightfully overwhelming. Blood sisters, pen pals, sorority sisters, bridge partners string together the medicinal benefits of your inner circle. We lend each other gowns and jewelry for special events. We treat each other to lunch in the “just because” sense. 

Then sometimes we sit quietly, say very little as those moments of silence speak volumes about “how deep is our ocean, how high is our sky.”