Abbott & Costello, Lucy & Ethel, Paulus & Scott

One of my first blog posts was about my friend and occasional running buddy Lisa.  After years of begging, Lisa has finally acquiesced to running a race with me, yay!!   So if you're anywhere around downtown Columbus on May 3, watch for us!  It'll be like "Where's Waldo," except instead of red/white stripes you're looking for the crazy mass of red/blonde curly hair. 

I have to admit though, that running with Lisa always feels a little empty for me.  You see, Lisa and I are only two of a trio; with the third being our friend Katie (who I will henceforth refer to as Katire, as that is her proper name in my eyes).  A long time ago, the three of us had to share a bus seat (if you need to know how long ago that was, let's just say that all three of us have been skirting the 6' tall line for decades and there is absolutely NO WAY that three 6' tall people are sharing a school bus seat).  Katire got on first and got the window seat...Lisa was second and in the middle...and I got on last.  For the first few years of elementary school, Katire and I disliked each other as we each were jealous of the other one talking to Lisa on the bus.  Fate intervened in fourth grade, and suddenly Katire and I were in the same class...without Lisa.  Katire had a perm and glasses, and I had naturally ridiculous hair and was awkward as all get out.  Probably out of necessity, we formed a fast friendship that (unfortunately for Katire) is still going strong. 

Katire is the much needed straight man in our comedy duo.  I am silly, she is serious.  I am always late, she is only late if she isn't 10 minutes early.  I am disorganized, her nickname is "Katie Stewart".  She gardens, I kill things.  She is mature, I like to remind her that I'm older than her.  She always has what I need to borrow, I inevitably break it.  I am nosy, she is private.  I have hair-brained schemes, she is the voice of reason.  It has been this way since I showed up to her house in a fringed cut off neon green sweatsuit and she told me I looked like the Jolly Green Giant.  Since I got blue dye on the top she lent me for senior pictures.  Since she told me to "get your dignity out of your purse, please" once at the movies.  Since I walked around Meijer holding a ladle and hugging the inflatable Keebler elf.  Since I broke her crockpot last Christmas.  Since she told me to keep this blog interesting or she'd stop reading.

Katire's friendship kinda helps me be a functioning adult.  Her well placed, "Oh, whatever"s let me know when I'm needlessly getting all excited over nothing and her faith to continue to lend me things after numerous failures in the "I'll get this right back to you" department speaks to just how loyal of a friend she really is.  And even though I often struggle to show it through the big goofball that I am, Katire's friendship is super special to me.  She is the closest thing I will ever have to a sister...someone who knows my past and my present and will undoubtedly be there for me in the future.  So even if she's not running the race with me, I know she'll be there at the finish line.  Eating a huge bowl of ice cream and mocking me, sure.  But there nonetheless...