Last night I took a trip down memory lane…and it was awesome. The occasion was a Wham! tribute night at our local theatre and I went with some of my besties – one of which was my partner in crime in the 80’s, Liz.
Liz and I probably spent 95% of our time together back then, shut away in one of our bedrooms making mix tapes from the radio charts on a Sunday night, backcombing our hair to make massive creations and singing our little hearts out to Wham!, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet and ABC. Age 13/14 we quite fancied ourself as a singing duo and Liz’s lovely dad gave us the cheesy name of “The two singing friends.” We used to do a *fab* Elaine Paige and Barbara Dixon rendition, usually in the back of Liz’s dad’s car when off out for a Sunday afternoon. Cringe. 😬🤣🥰
I tried backcombing my hair last night but after half an hour and half a can of extra-hold hairspray, I gave up. It was flat within about 10 minutes. I have no idea how we made it work back then – although I was never that great at it. Liz was the absolute Queen of crimping and backcombing while I opted for the classic 80’s curly perm.
It was perfect to be singing and dancing to all the Wham! hits next to my oldest friend last night. It bought back so many memories and I felt an overwhelming rush of love and gratitude for this friendship that has spanned almost 4 decades, and will definitely last a lifetime. We’ve shed so many tears together over the years, happy and sad, but always there for each other. We’ve had ups and downs too and while I was (briefly) married to my first husband, we lost touch. Husband and best friend didn’t get on…should have been a massive red flag, right? But I was young and stupid and I allowed him to gradually come between us. When I walked away, she was one of the first people I called, and she was there, back in my life and by my side, like she’d never been gone.
Fast forward almost 40 years and there we were again, belting out Careless Whisper and dancing our feet off. We dressed up for the occasion; Choose Life t-shirts (which I never had back in the day, opting instead for Frankie’s relax t-shirt), neon beads, leg warmers, ra ra skirt, blue eyeshadow and big earrings. We were pretty much the only people in the auditorium dressed up, but did we care? Not even slightly.
So, to my absolute BFF, thank you for the laughs, support and the tears. It’s been, and will continue to be, a blast❤️❤️❤️
The Davies Diaries 
How lovely. The old photos are fab! xx
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By my reckoning, we were 15 when that picture of us waiting in between games at badminton was taken. That’s *33 years* ago… 33 years…!
We didn’t know what life had in store for us, and we largely didn’t care.
We worked on working out adulthood.
We left the old town.
We diverged in our paths.
We stumbled.
We settled down.
We bought children into the world.
We have watched them grow and begin to work out adulthood for themselves.
We hope they don’t stumble.
We will be there for them should they do so.
We *still* know don’t what the future has in store.
One more ‘we’ if I may?
We all went out together on Friday night.
You, Liz, Adam and myself. The best part of 35 years since we met, and yet how do we choose to spend our Friday night? Together with old friends. In the instant gratification, social media-fuelled, here today gone tomorrow, disposable world we inhabit, that is something quite remarkable.
I am both proud and blessed.
John. x
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Oh John. You’ve got me all emotional now. I love that you and Liz are still 2 of the most important people in my life. It doesn’t matter whether weeks or months pass – nothing really changes. 35 years feels like a lifetime in many ways – for all the reasons you list. But yet it’s been a heartbeat in reality. A very beautiful heartbeat.
Thank you for everything – for being a great friend for all these years and for taking such good care of my bestie and making her so happy.
To quote one of the most important people in my life: “I am both proud and blessed”
Love you always
xxxx
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