Rose Nylund: Thank You for Being a Friend

Malbie and I have been best friends since about sixth grade. Our history is vast. We have been friends since it was cool to laugh at all things “adult.” In sixth grade, we were forced giggle at boys making all kinds of dirty jokes because that was what boys at that age did. We never wanted to appear uncool. Thank God we are passed trying to impress awkward, geeky boys. We were teenagers, what can I say? Now we have men to deal with…

I am constantly remembering things that happened over the years and having a good laugh. Because that’s what she does; she makes me laugh. We lived together for four years while we were in college (yes, we even went to the same college). She is definitely the sister I never had. I don’t need one because I have her (insert sappy music here).

She is probably the one person I am most myself with, besides my husband. She can read my mind. I can wear my pajamas, eat an entire carton of ice cream and fall asleep on the couch and she’s not judging. I find that when we are around other people I have to tone it down. I can’t give her the look. We cannot make too many inside jokes. People that don’t have a Malbie do not understand. It just is. I don’t have to try for it; it just is. It’s totally second nature. I am her Sophia Petrillo. She is my Rose Nylund. If you don’t know who they are you ought to be shot.

Sadly, thanks to the loss of her job and the shitty Michigan economy, my beloved Malbie had to move across the country to California (insert sad music here). We miss her and her new hubby, Matt, very much but alas we know that someday they will return.

Prior to their move, the happy couple hung out with us rather frequently. Mostly at our house since we have the child and all. Usually, we would have a meal, put the child to bed and then play cards or games and enjoy adult beverages. Good times were had by all (unless they were lying to us all these years).

On one such occasion, we were playing Catch Phrase. If you’ve never indulged, you should. I highly recommend it. It’s basically Hot Potato with words. You have a team or partner and you pass around the little electronic game trying to get your partner to say the words displayed on the screen before the timer buzzes. You can pass if you don’t want to do a particular clue until you get something you think you can get your partner to guess.

This time we were playing just the four of us; girls versus boys. I don’t think any of us were really that into it. It was my turn to get Malbie to guess. I passed on several until I came to one I liked. The category was food. I said, “Oh, Oh if I lick your butthole.” To which my friend, with absolutely no hesitation replied, “Tossed salad.” (Insert stunned silence from the boys and hysterical laughter from the girls). That, my friends, is a friendship with no definition. Some things you just never grow out of.