I spoke with my long lost friend over the weekend which was very strange. First of all I couldn't figure out how she got my number, because the last time that we spoke she was very rude and everything that she said was very hurtful. But I forgave her and moved on. So when I heard her voice it didn't take me long to identify the person behind the voice.

After a long conversation she started to speak about when we were in school, from elementary, middle and then high school and how much fun we had. At this point I was really confused because if we had much fun which I thought we did as well why did she always speak so negative to me whenever we cross paths. So as the clock continued to tick and the hours passed I found out a host of reasons why thing went sour as we got older. She started to admit that she was jealous of me. For what; I was never the one that was stuck up or being the popular one or even the smartest one. She went on to tell me that I did things that she could never do. How the teachers and our counselor always called me for assistance. How everybody wanted to be my friend and all the guys liked me and not her. She was jealous of all the fancy clothes and shoes that I wore when she didn't have much of anything. She was angry when I always had to rush home from school so I wouldn't be grounded, to where as her mother didn't know if she came home or not. At this point I felt sorry for her, but at the same time I could feel the relief in her soul that she is finally glad that she have let go of all the hate that she had for me for no reason.

She told me that for years she have kept all our photos, letters, posters and our play that we scripted for a high school play and came in second place. She admitted that she hated that I moved to Detroit, when she couldn't afford to move off her block. She hated the fact that I had children and she didn't have any. Then she heard that I got married and Las Vegas and she is still stuck with a loser. So I finally got around to asking her why she really called me.

She said that she called to tell me that I was the only friend that she had in life and never once when she was on drugs did I treat her any difference. That when I came in town to visit I always made it by her mom's house to check on her and always left my number for her to contact me. Even when I seen her, that I spent time with her. I always sent her birthday, holiday and just checking on you cards that she cherish and have in a box. Not once have she ever sent me anything. She still has the Detroit T-shirt that I sent her when I first moved to the "D". She just wanted to tell me that I always kept a positive attitude back in the day and always will say, stop saying "Can't and won't". She reminded me when I said that you can do anything that you put your heart in. Only person can stop you and that is YOU.

Well she said that she finally after thirty-something year have gotten clean and is now married to a nice man and that they own a restaurant. She told her husband it is still something missing from my life and it's my friend "Joy". So she remembered the only box of things that she kept sacred and she found my address on an envelope. So they Google and found my number. She said that she and her husband spend several hours looking through pictures and reading cards and letters that I sent her. She said that she had a good cry, but her life would not be complete until she apologized to me.

I told her that no matter what she thought that she done in the past, it was the past. I had already forgiven her for all the sin that she committed and for all the hurtful things that she may have said to me. Because I knew that it was not her speaking it was the drugs. I reassured her that no matter what she thought she was and whether she ever felt that she wasn't good enough for me she was always my friend and will always be.

After we said our "talk to you later"; I thought wow......she has moved to another place in her life. She didn't give up the fight; she won the battle and has conquered the war. The battle was her struggle with the drugs, but the war was our friendship.

I know a lot of my other friends use to tell me why I continued to waste my time. It wasn't wasting my time, when somebody in your life is special, then you treasure every moment you have with them. So no matter how bad times was for her, when I saw her I made sure that she had a good time. Even though she would always leave mad cussing me out I continued to visit. But I figure that was her way of keeping me away from speaking or visiting her. But I knew that she would be better and could do better one day as long as there someone in her life to keep her thinking. So the was my blessing from above.

Even when people make you mad and say bad things to you. Sometimes they really don't mean it; they just want to not be reminded of how good your life is and how bad they have made theirs.

So tonight, look up and old friend and just chat.