The Story of Us – A History of Two Best Friends

Reflecting upon another fabulous and hilarious night with my bestie Rachel, I felt compelled to write the story of how she and I became best friends. WARNING: This is lengthy… so try and keep up! :)

There I was, a freshman in college standing in Bjorling Recital Hall, wearing a heinous orange t-shirt, trying to resemble a rock quarry worker for the dress rehearsal of the Collegiate Chorus’ “The Flower That Shattered the Stone”. I was the last person in line waiting to get on stage, aimlessly looking around and wondering how the hell I had been talked into joining this strange ensemble. As I was beginning to imagine all the teasing I was going to endure from my friends after they saw this little musical, my thoughts were interrupted by an overly bouncy and perky Asian girl, who clearly possessed the personality like those residents from the North Side of campus. The North Side, known for their rambunctious “social activities” and partying, was very well known and I had never really associated with them. This crazy Asian surprisingly lived on the tranquil and sleepy South Side, but was obviously a wannabe North Sider. But all of my perceptions of North and South Side changed forever on that night I’ll keep locked in my heart forever… for that perky Asian who should have been from the North Side, evolved into my best friend.

***

I thought to myself, Lord, they are going to give me so much sh** for doing this musical… how am I ever going to live this down?! Just then a lovely and overly hyper Asian bounced on over to me and introduced herself as Rachel. Rachel and I were having a surprisingly pleasant conversation despite the clear differences in personality, and I think we were maybe five minutes into it when she discovered I speak French. Once this little tidbit was revealed, Rachel immediately stopped and said, “Oh my GOD! What does ‘Voulez-vous couchez avec moi ce soir?’ mean?!” I was shy and kind played dumb at first, but then with some prodding revealed that it means “Will you sleep with me tonight?” We both laughed, and I’ll admit, by the end of the conversation, I had a bit of a crush.

The musical went off without a hitch. The main characters sang their parts beautifully, namely one Miss Ali, who had the lead role and nearly brought tears to my eyes every time I heard her sing “Make Them Hear You” from the musical “Ragtime”. Of course my friends sat in the front row and I couldn’t look at them for fear I’d burst out laughing, and I got my ample share of jabs and teasing from them, but they liked the show.

The last song was sung, the crowd cheered, and then there was the traditional gathering outside the recital hall where we could meet and greet the audience. I found my friends and was talking to them when I was sought out by Rachel and her friend Lisa. “Lisa, this is Rob; Rob this is Lisa. He’s my boy toy!” Mind you dear reader, that the words “boy toy” were not just spoken normally, but rather said with a musical touch and to add icing to the cake, Rachel accompanied this musical tribute with what is now deemed the “Boy Toy Jig”. Yes friends, she did a little dance. Imagine if you will a fully clothed burlesque dancer shaking her ta-ta’s and wiggling her body like a little wiggle worm… it was that classy… but it will forever remain etched in my memory as the first time I knew Rachel would be one of those special people in my life.

***

The year ended and I didn’t talk to Rachel over the summer. In fact, I didn’t talk to her until fall semester of sophomore year when I joined Chapel Choir. Walking up the stairs to the balcony in Christ Chapel, hearing the chatter and laughing of choir friends reuniting – there she was, as crazy as I remembered her. This year she lived on the North Side and had a new permed hair style, while I remained on the nerdy South Side with my former butt-part hair style.

Rachel and I began to hang out after choir when I was invited to eat dinner with her and her other choir cronies after rehearsal one evening. We found we complimented one another very well and surprisingly had a lot in common. I’m normally very shy when I first meet someone, but once you get to know me, I bloom like a flower and my true colors are revealed. It turned out I could be just as crazy as Rachel and the rest of the North Side.

We had become pretty good friends at this point and Rachel often traveled to the South Side (and I to the North Side) to visit and we would cause a ruckus in Sohre Hall – falling into garbage cans, shopping for man bras for a particular someone-who-shall-remain-nameless, and debating whether or not another particular someone-who-shall-remain-nameless would end up dating Marissa Kolander or be gay. Good times had by all!

Eventually, this friendship turned into romantic feelings and it all came full circle one November evening in Uhler Hall, while Rachel and I were visiting one of her friends nicknamed “Hobie”. We both had a little bit to drink – ok a lot to drink – and ended up sitting at the top of the stairwell outside Hobie’s room and our “feelings” were revealed. I’ll leave the rest to your imagination!

Our romantic relationship lasted 3 weeks and it was ended sitting outside the Courtyard Café a day or two before Thanksgiving Break. Let’s just say it didn’t end well, and Rachel and I didn’t speak to each other for the rest of the year, and all of junior year, except for one brief encounter just before the Gustavus Choir, which Rachel was now a member of, left for their tour of Italy for J-Term.

***

It was a cold January day our junior year. I had just returned from Paris and studying abroad for a semester, and I was at Gustavus visiting friends and wishing the choir happy trails as their buses were loading to head to the airport. Rachel and I bumped into each other and we said “hello” and I briefly told her about my study abroad experience and that they would have an amazing time in Rome. That was the extent of our communication junior year.

Fast forward to December of senior year – Rachel’s apartment in College View for a post Christmas in Christ Chapel party.

***

Another performance of “C in CC” under my belt – it was time to unwind and have some fun before it all started again the next day. It turned out that Rachel was having a “C in CC” choir party at her apartment, so I figured, eh, it can’t hurt. I’ll know lots of people there. I arrived and approached the “bar”, a.k.a. the kitchen counter, and Rachel was standing there pouring drinks and taking shots… being just as crazy and fun as I had always known. A conversation ensued that would reveal many, many secrets about our sophomore year relationship and the evil forces driving the break-up, and in a matter of minutes, a year and a half of bitterness and confusion ended and we were on speaking terms again. I felt great. It felt like I had my friend back.

From there on out, we hung out, went to the bar together, and we were able to rekindle that special bond we had before. For length reasons, I’m going to leave out some details, but since Rachel and I mended our relationship that December, we have become best friends and our bond has become so strong. We realized that we could never date again, for reasons that are now clear cut and obvious (namely because I’m gay!), but I couldn’t have asked for a better way to have it.

I could not have asked for a more faithful and loyal friend. We have persevered through so many trials and tribulations and we’re still standing by each other’s side. She and I are so much alike that it’s scary. We now claim that we’re twins that were separated at birth, except she stole all the Asian looks while we were still in the womb, and we found each other 20 years later at Gustavus…

So, if you’re still with me at this point, good job. And here’s to you, Rachel – may we always be best friends and Twins. Your friendship is highly valued. And cue Bette Midler’s “Wind Beneath My Wings”…

Thus endeth the second sappy post in two days… LOL.