I’m lucky enough to have three best friends: my mom, my husband, and my actual BFF, a girl I met the first few days of college. Mom and Jack are my best friends for various reasons, and I’ve talked about both of them before in these blog posts. Now I want to tell you about my friend Caddy.
To set the stage, I attended Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia (now University of Mary Washington), in Fredericksburg, Virginia. At that time, sooooo many years ago, the University of Virginia was all male. The exception were those women who had majors that had to finish in Charlottesville, like nursing majors. If you were a woman and wanted to attend UVA, you went to the girls’ branch, Mary Washington. All female, when I attended, we were just a couple of years way from having to wear a skirt or dress when leaving the dorm and being forbidden from getting into a car with a male without a chaperone.
Yes, hard to believe, but back then, when a date—or even parents—arrived to pick you up, they were stopped in the dorm lobby and an announcement was made to the hall where the girl resided. The announcer said either that the girl had a “visitor” (parents or a non-male) or a “caller” (a date!). When we went off campus with either type, we had to put a note in a box by the front desk saying who with, where, a phone number where we could be reached (no cell phones back then!), and the approximate time we would be back. The dorm doors were locked at midnight, and the box was then opened by the dorm “mother” so she could see if anyone was still out. Believe me, you tried your level best not to be locked out!
It was a very different age, and you know what? We didn’t mind it. In fact, there was a feeling of safety to it all that girls don’t have in schools now. That was the environment Caddy and I met. We didn’t have cars, so we walked downtown and we ate almost every meal on campus. It fostered friendships.
Long story long, we met in the first week at school. She lived one door down
on the hall. Her roommate had immediately christened her Caddy, based on her initials, and that’s what we all called her. She was tall and kind of willowy where I was stubby and not willowy at all. She had naturally curly auburn hair (that took forever to dry) and a fair Irish complexion. We hit it off right away, partially, I’m sure, because she didn’t go home very often and neither did I. She had (still has) a wickedly sharp sense of humor, an amazing intellect, and one of the kindest hearts I’ve ever known. She’s very loyal to her friends but she’s not a pushover. She loves her family fiercely, and she’s a damn hard worker.
So, what do I think is the best trait for being a BFF? Hmmm. That’s hard. Maybe loyalty. It’s that loyalty that allows the closeness to know her sharp humor and the hard work and the kindness that’s tempered common sense. All in all, Caddy is a remarkable woman and an even more remarkable friend, and I’m grateful that she’s been part of my life.
Who is your best friend and why?
Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.
Dee
Burning Bridges by Anne Krist: Old letters put the lie to Sara’s life. Now, mending past mistakes while crossing burning bridges will be the hardest thing she’s ever done.
The South was well-known for having girls’ schools and boys’ schools, and never the twain shall meet. During my day, UVA was all male except for certain disciplines in junior and senior years. (This changed during my junior year when the twains did meet and UVA became co-ed, at which time Mary Washington became simply Mary Washington College.) I didn’t know where Fredericksburg was in relation to where Jack might end up going to school, but at least I would be back in Virginia—if I was accepted. And, thankfully, I was.
My trip north to sleepy Fredericksburg allowed me to meet people that have continued to touch my life, gave me my first taste of independence, and introduced me other adventures I’d have missed had I taken the easy route of staying in Florida for school. In many ways, it was life changing. And—as important—it was fun!