Everyone needs at least one old friend

I renewed my hoard of pens and pencils yesterday. For free. OK, parking and admission were expensive. So there was a cost involved.

We went to the Home and Garden show in Cincinnati. Our friends, Barb and George, had invited us as an excuse to get together. Barb and I worked together many years ago and have stayed in contact since then. She is one of my best friends.

A home and garden show is meant to showcase new trends and products with the ultimate goals of  generating business for the vendors. But I see it as a giant Halloween night for grown-ups. Some vendors give away candy and other enticements to lure people in. The trick is to first find a bag someone is giving away. If it is made from recycled plastic, all the better. Then the hunt is on to fill it up.

I bypass the hard candy and can koozies. My hand reaches for small notepads before common sense kicks in and I leave them be. I have more notepads than I can use. On the other hand pens, pencils, and anything chocolate is fair game.

I came home with enough candy to last a few days, several pencils, lots of pens, and the ultimate prize —  a T-shirt advertising a product I have no intention of ever using. It will be perfect for working around the house and garden.

Best of all, we got to spend time with our friends. Granted, we tend to go through these events rather quickly while they stop at each and every booth and talk to every single vendor. That means we frequently stopped and waited for them to catch up.

The garden displays were beautiful and creative but would never fit in our yard. I wanted to ask about the red tulips they had blooming but nobody was around who would know the variety, so it remains a mystery.

We saw intriguing garden art that cost way more than I was willing to spend and some huge pots I fell in love with. There wasn’t a price tag on the pots. I know from experience that if I have to ask about the price, I can’t afford it. Still, they were gorgeous. I tempered my desire by reasoning that they would be too heavy to pick up when loaded with soil and plants.

I already have one pot that has to have its plant removed before I can pick it up. No matter how beautiful the pot is, I do not need something else I can’t handle.

The afternoon came to an end too quickly. We promised to get together again when we could spend more time talking and less time lusting over things we can’t afford.

Barb and I talk several times a year and get together less often. She and George are the kind of people one can talk to freely. We talk about our kids and grandkids. We all agreed that pajama pants should only be worn in public by a new mom driving in the dead of night trying to get her crying infant to go to sleep. We compare notes on flowers, stoves, the state of the union, and whatever else comes to mind.

Conversation is as comfortable as an old T-shirt that doesn’t advertise anything. Everybody needs at least one old friend. We need someone who has known us as well as we know ourselves. and shares part of our history. Everybody needs a reason to drive several hours for a little conversation. And pens. Lots and lots of pens.