I was around at Susan's blog the other day, and I loved the words of this poem she posted. The poem is all about being grateful for our many different types of friends. My favourite line was about being thankful .....
"For crotchety friends, sour as rhubarb and as indestructible"
I have a gal pal I have known since high school days, who is definitely one of the rhubarb friends. Not that she's nasty or always gloomy - just that she likes things the way she likes them, and she's not afraid to tell others precisely how.
If we plan to see a movie together, the options are quite limited. She only likes sweeping historical romances or quirky English comedies.
If we go out for the day, the schedule is entirely dictated by her stomach and its need for fuel every two hours.
She terrifies the younger nurses at work with her abrupt manner. KP once walked up to a nurse (who KP had heard had been scratched on the nose by a patient) and wordlessly began rubbing the more junior nurse's nose with an alco-wipe. The terrified younger nurse remained stock still, silently submitting to the nose-wiping, until another nurse came by and murmured, "Her elbow! Not her nose! The guy scratched her on the elbow!". KP told me this story with barely repressed glee - such was her delight in her ability to strike fear into the hearts of others.
When she orders a meal at a restaurant, she asks for so many ingredients to be removed that I'm sure the chef whips off his hat and stomps on it, out back. She has given me a list of foods she doesn't eat, for when we invite her family over. There are 19 or 20 items on the list.
My other friends think KP is fairly weird, and I know they wonder why I like her so much. Fatty calls her a 'crazy woman'. But I'll tell you why this woman is so dear to me.
She sends me cards for no reason.
She makes me snort laugh.
She cooks roasts and invites us all over (roast meat and certain veges are on the acceptable foods list!)
She asks me how I am, and actually wants to know.
She hates to kill anything, even spiders.
She bosses me into doing things I wouldn't have ever tried without her urging. (Not that learning to knit, wearing green or eating high tea are world-changing events, but they've been fun!)
She offers to give me a neck massage before I've given her one. She offers to mind my children. She brings lavish pavlovas when she visits. She lends me books she thinks I might like. She nurtures me like no other friend does, my sweet/sour rhubarby KP.
So charge your glasses please, for a toast - to all those pernickety, feisty, difficult yet spectacular friends......
and to KP!
18 comments:
What's gotten into you?
You are posting very regularly?
I really, really like this post.
I like these kinds of people too.
Kind of prickly on the outside - I think it's to keep idiots away.
They are quirky and interesting.
Their idiosyncrasies make them all the more endearing (and funny).
Syrupy sweet people don't engender much affection in me.
Ahhhhh... afriend that can make you snort laugh....now that is a true friend.
I agree with mackey: never let go of a friend who can make you snort laugh. :-)
That is a friend to cherish - what a great post. Not much is better than a snort laugh.
It sounds like you have found a good friend, and good for you that you were not put off by her 'prickly side'!
Sometimes the crazy ones are the most fun! Have a great weekend.
Hey, Jelly, I love it that when I come onto your blog, there's another post! All your patients in the prime of health at the moment?
I think we all have a KP in our lives, they drive us to distraction then melt our hearts...don't ya love it?
I love this post!! What a lovely tribute to KP. Rhubarb. What a good idea for a personality description. I have some friends like that!
Yes - here is to weird friends!! If you haven't got one then you are probably a weird friend anyway!! Variety - it is all about variety and the spice of life!!
I could use a few rhubarby friends. Want to loan KP out? ;)
"Everyone's a little queer, except thee and me, and even thee's a little queer"
My father used to love quotes and he used this one often :)
We all have our idiosyncrasies, don't we?
I'm glad you enjoy you friend, KP. She sounds interesting and fun.
Love the scratched nose story :)
Great friends are hard to come by. I have not only a daughter but a friend who pushes me into trying things and I am grateful for her.
I had a friend just like that, who I loved dearly.
I also have a prickly friend who I just can't let go of even though she regularly insults me and everyone else she knows. It somehow makes life more interesting.
Mimi
Rhubarb is one of my favourite foods, so I suppose it stands to reason why I like rhubarby friends like your KP. I share her taste in movies by the way!
I say Hip Hip Hooray!!!
KP sounds like a real treasure.
I think that I would love to hear you snort laugh!!!
I've often been drawn to particularly 'difficult' people at work. I'm not sure why persevered when sometimes they made me want to tear my hair out - maybe it was a subconscious challenge...lol.
Your prickly KP certainly has many endearing qualities, though.
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