Cheers ma Dears...

Backblip

What happens when you meet up with a friend and ex-work colleague you haven't seen for 20 years?  You take up where you left off, that's what.

Meet Mae.

Here's our story.

1985 - After changing my mind about going to uni (controversial) I started my first proper job age 18 in the sales/admin office of a company on the outskirts of Glasgow.  

The office manageress was a very straight laced "older" lady (probably the age I am now!!) called Maureen who, on my first day, clucked round me like a mother hen as she gave me a tour of the warehouse and canteen before taking me to the main office and introducing me to the team I would be working with.  

There was Donald, Christine, Sam, Karen, Sales Manager Dennis, the big boss Peter and a girl of similar age to me called Dawn who'd been with the company 6 months.  Finally in the corner, with not one but two desks (impressive) and control of the company tannoy was Mae. 

As I parked my bottom on the seat at the desk now designated as mine (butted against Dawn's so we were facing each other and at right angles to Mae's)  Mae got up from her seat and sashayed (there is no other word for it) her way towards my desk, blonde, almost white bobbed hair (totally natural), tight black pencil skirt, black lacy tights and black stilettos to shake my hand.   As we shook, she said something like "Welcome to hell.  You belong to us now" and laughed the filthiest laugh I have every heard.   

By the end of the first week I had gleaned that as well as being drop dead gorgeous, she was 11 years older than me,  fiercely intelligent, had her own flat, street wise, fast witted with the most brilliant sense of humour.   I was in complete awe.

By the end of the second week Mae, Dawn and I were thick as thieves and the next three and a half years of working life went by in a blur of laughter, learning and more than one hangover.   

I could write a book about the fun we had both in and out of work.   She was like the coolest big sister, leading us astray, protecting us when necessary but above all being the funniest, warmest, most brilliant of friends.  The coolest person I knew.

But all good things come to an end and new futures beckoned.  

Mae married an Englishman and moved down south (where she still lives)   and had three children.  Dawn and I changed jobs and got married (not to each other ;-)) and only kept in touch by Christmas card.  

The last time I saw Mae was just over 20 years ago when she paid a rare visit up north and Dawn and I met her for a drink and a catch up.  I didn't for a minute think 20 years would pass before I saw her again (we do chat on FB though :-)

We picked her up in Glasgow and headed back to ours.  Dinner, drinks and chat, chat chatting took us till 3am!   We literally took up where we left off and the time just melted away.   We were howling with laughter as we recalled our past scrapes and work situations, we well as nights out and nights in!  (Extra photo is our work Christmas night out 1988.  Mae second from the left, Dawn third from the left and me on the right) 

She hasn't changed a bit.   (Sickening given that her age now starts with a 6!!) She is still gorgeous, funny, clever, warm and it was an absolute joy to see her with Alan.  The immediate connection was palpable.  

A wonderful night where for a little while I was 18 again, Mae was 29 and the world was ours for the taking :-)))

P.S. Spookily as we stopped in Glasgow to pick her up, as she opened the car door, Simon and Garfunkel came on the radio singing "Old Friends"