Here's to You - RKF

With my sucia friends, we were discussing friendships. The words started rushing through my mind - I better get 'em out huh?

I thought of one of the bestest friends I've had in my whole lifetime - here's to you....

He knew me back when we weren't all that,

my long hair parted in the middle,
black berry lipstick smeared out of line,
polo shirts with jeans,
- no style whatsoever.
A closed mouth with a tight grin

He was....
1940's hairstyle combed to the side
glasses and braces,
polo shirts and jeans,
same Dallas Cowboys jacket
an open mouth showing his big smile

As we grew, we changed

I wore
hip hugger jeans
dressier blouses
big black boots
a redder lipstick in line
a dimple showed on my smile

He did a makeover
highlights in his brown hair
spiked up toward the sky
clear contacts replaced the glasses
dress pants and dress shirts
-ironed and starched


He drove

88 big brown Buick
pitch dark tinted windows
-creeping slowly
looking like drug dealers doing a run
because he didn't have his license yet


90 Corolla, white with a broken trunk
-that stayed full of water when he sold it
the door almost flew off once
I asked "what are you doing? trying to give us instant a/c?"

99 Malibu, silver with a CD player
good sound system
for hip hop music and old Tejano songs
and vibrations of techno dance music

04 Jetta, silver
with the rainbow Texas pride sticker
comfy and roomy

05 Corolla, silver
decorated with Spurs pride
class and a high car payment
bringing him back and forth from H-Town

while he changed cars
he helped change me

stole a gift certificate
from a family member
to a beauty salon
so i could have curly hair for a year

we started college
started approaching people
started to relate to other people

I started to drive
after he helped show me
on the way to school
or
when we skipped school & work
down those hilly slopes of country roads

I bought my Ford Ranger
wanted to drive up high
we drove our seperate ways
for awhile

came back
with reminscence
with memories

We reflect back on

when we missed Prom
to go to Houston
to shop @ the Galleria
listen to Little Joe
in the parking lot of Michelle's Night Club
we were not of age to enter that club

when we ran off to Houston
to have the car "detailed"
took pictures @ a photo studio
so we could remember that special time
"detailed" the Malibu
with Armor All and napkins
at the drive-thru of Jack in the Box

when we got lost in Houston
searching for "soul food"
finding Chinatown
Memorial Park
Art Show
everything but soul food

when we were crowned
"senorita & cabellero"
@ the Cinco de Mayo dance
dancing together
me falling over my black cha-cha heels
still proud
of our senior year accomplishments

when he had that one special crush
going to Wal-Mart frequently to see that guy
I had several
that came and went
as I tossed them aside
who they were
what happened to them?

He reminds me of a mistake
only if I am
in danger of committing it again
makes me feel appreciated and cared for
seeks my advice and guidance

We keep growing up actually
trying to find ourselves
recognize ourselves
when we look at each other

we see those cheeks
that hang
when we're mad
rise
when we smile

those familiar brown eyes
that stare
look away
twinkle

We laugh
because we speak the same
loud shouts
in Spanish and English

we wink @ each other
because
we know
we still cover "con la misma colcha" (with the same blanket) - don't know the correct spelling.

Alright, that's for RKF, my best friend from way back then.......No one knows me the way he does; I swear he's one of my "soul mates."

;)