Believe

When I was four years old we moved to a new neighborhood. Mom put me out in the backyard to play on my swing set when the cutest little girl came walking by and asked me what is my name.

Without hesitation I answered "Coca Cola."

She went home and that evening told her mother that she had met a nice little girl named Coca Cola.

We have been friends ever since.

There is an important element to friendship that involves believing a friend is who they say they are.

That little girl Katie has trusted me when:

(age 5) I talked her into connecting two tin cans with string between our houses so we could talk whenever we wanted.

(age 11) I told her my bed post was Ricky Nelsen and we would jitterbug with him to our 45 RPMs.

(age 21) I convinced her to put dried weeds from the woods in manila envelops on our walls for decoration.

(age 50) I told her to pack her bags we were going to Paris, London, Rome, and Venice.

I have been a better person because I had a friend who believed me.

"When people tell you who they are -- believe them"

Maya Angelo