Valerie Walker

So on Sunday, I had a reunion with a woman that I went to college with.

I hadn't seen her for 34 years.

I know, I look good.

And the thing, you're probably wondering after 34 years, like, what do you care?

I had actually been carrying her in my heart for the intervening time.

And

We were an odd pair for sure.

We met in college, a very impressionable time.

She was from a small town in Arkansas.

I still had the grit from New York City in my pockets.

She was artful with her makeup and painted on a natural looking face and smelled like beautiful perfume.

And I smelled like a mix of soap and whatever moisturizer I was using.

And so looking at us, you would think like, what do they have in common?

And I wondered that myself, but there was such, she was so kind.

There was such a space that we created that was just joyful and very, very loving and super duper fun.

And then I came out as a lesbian.

And one of the ways that I processed my internalized homophobia was I was suddenly scared that my really rich friendships with women

were going to be called into question, that she would no longer be as affectionate or wonder what was my motive for being affectionate back.

And we had such a great relationship.

Like, I don't know that song, I Love You, a Bushel and a Peck, a Bushel and a Peck.