Lunch with an old friend

     Out of my very busy day, I made time to meet with an old, dear friend.  Well, don't tell her I said that, she isn't by any means, old.  But, dear, she is.  We had worked together for the last five years, and she left the dental office we worked in together just a few, short months ago.
     Our big dilemma today was where to eat for lunch.  After kicking around pizza, Chinese, or sandwich shops, we mutually decided on Chinese food.  It was amazingly good food at that!  Why didn't I ever hear of honey glazed chicken before?  It was tender, white meat, with a light breading, and the most delectable honey sauce on top.  It left my taste buds just tingling.
     None of those fast food type Chinese places for me.  I like a good, sit-down restaurant.  We made it there a little before noon, and then it began filling up.  I will say this though, we didn't have to wait long for our service, and the food was hot and filling.
     We drove to my house afterward where we proceeded to spend the next two hours non-stop talking, catching up on one anther's lives.  I didn't realize just how much I missed my friend. 
     You see, I only lived in this town for about five years.  I left behind family and old friends to marry a man that I met later in life.  Again, don't tell him I said that, it isn't that much later.  But this dear girl, is the first true friend I made out here in what I call the big city.  
     Every day at work, I would await her humor and antics.  She sang as she put patients in the room.  She hummed when she cleaned instruments.  Life was good, and very happy in our small, dental world. 
     There was a time, she decided that the Geico gecko was the funniest little critter in the world.  She began placing pictures of the little guy everywhere, hoping I would find them and laugh.  I did.
     We took daily walks in a nearby park on our lunch hour.  We solved many a world crisis on those days.  We laughed, we cried.  We became the best of friends.
     Now my time with her is limited.  I am lucky to see her every few months.  But I am blessed to still count her as one of my dearest, dearest friends.