The Real Deal Friend

There was a beautiful girl my age that lived over on the Historical part of Jefferson Street in a small city of Muskegon, Michigan USA, in the early 1980's. Me and my sister use to go over her house all the time and we would have so much fun, she was such a blast to be around! It was a relief to go over there because I was going through a lot at home, and also being bullied at school. Kids picked on me at my catholic school because I didn't dress cool or in fashion. I guess my parents didn't have the money and they sure didn't make an attempt to go out of their way to have me in cute outfits either. I was picked on a lot about my clothes and the 1 pair of cheap ass $5 dollar Kmart shoes I was forced to wear for a whole year with every damn outfit. Sucked. I never got how people with kids wont want them to look good. It is a reflection of the whole family. I was always sad and depressed even before I knew what depression was. I never wanted to take pictures when I was wearing some old broke down Mickey Mouse out dated clothes. I remember when I was about 7 years old I spent the night at one of my friends houses and the girl gave me a shirt that said SPOILED, let me tell you, my mom and dad went through the ROOF mad. Wouldn't let me wear it, I think they may have burned it. People could look at me, my brother and sister were definitely NOT spoiled. It was a shit show! I was sexually abused by my weird ass Uncle Kevin. Physically and mentally abused by my parents. All fucked up. I remember our socks were mis matched and had holes in them. I'm pissed right now thinking about this because I have 3 kids all in their 20's and I have been a single mom all their lives. I have broke my back to get them nice name brand cute clothes, clean and in style. I always give to kids less fortunate and when I have a yard sale I sell their clothes in my neighborhood for 1 dollar each or free, because I know how hard it can be, especially for a single parent to get their children nice clothes they can feel good in. I never liked school because of that, the kids would laugh at me and talk behind my back and ask me where I got my clothes from. I remember I was invited to a sleep over in Roosevelt Park, a nice part of town...I was the laughing stock, some girls went through my back pack when i was out of the room and had my clothes all laid out laughing at them, I was devastated, needless to say, I went home and didn't spend the night. I went to summer camp every summer at Camp Pendalouan, I guess they sent me there to get out of their hair. Everyone came from all over to go that camp, I think I went there for like for 2 whole weeks. Once again my clothes were boo boo the fool and I was picked on once again. Nobody wanted to be around me, I ended stealing everyone's clothes and knocking all their shit over.

Let's get back to my beautiful friend from Jefferson Street. She was my first real friend that ever gave a fuck about me and what I wore. She actually cared what I looked like from the outside and how I felt. I remember it today as I am going to be 50 years old this year, like it was yesterday what a good friend she was and we are still friends to this day. I don't live in Michigan anymore, I am in Florida, with my kids and she is in Michigan with her kids. She doesn't even know it, but she helped me so much, she gave me a big box of clothes that she out grew. Name brand nice clothes!! And they smelled so good like Tide and Downy, I swear she must have had a water softner, they were clean and fit me perfectly !!! My self esteem sky rocketed!! I felt over joyed when I wore them and didn't mind taking pictures with my friends. I wasn't embarrassed when I went to school, it really changed my life for the better and set a standard for me for when I got older. I would always strive to look nice and fashionable so I could finally feel good about myself. When I got older I made myself a promise, when I have children of my own, I will always make sure they are dressed nice and put together so they will be proud and not get picked on like I did. That became a reality. She really helped me shape my future just by being a great friend, recognizing what i was lacking in my life from a young age and it took so much stress off of me just by giving me some nice things to wear. That box of clothes she out grew and gave to me, changed me so much, from the inside out. It was like a present forever. Not from my parents, but from a friend, a real friend. It set the style for me because she had great taste. I would have never even knew what kind of clothes to wear if she wouldn't have introduced me to them. Now I give to the less fortunate and I always help people when I can. For kids especially, when they go to school. You have no idea what a box of your out grown clothes can do to someone who doesn't have anything. It can literally change their life, like my friend did mine. She didn't have to, she did it from her heart. With the clothes she gave me, believe it or not, people treated me different, they treated me better!! I couldn't believe it, It was like over night!!! To this day she is an awesome woman and a great mother. She will always have my respect. That's what a real friend is. L.F