Recently, I read the delightful autobiography of movie and theater legend Mel Brooks. What a fascinating life he has lived. He has been a part of some of my favorite productions. I loved learning the inside story of those, but what struck a chord with me most was his friendship with the equally brilliant Carl Reiner. Talk about a beautiful thing.
They were friends for more than half a century. You can feel the love as Brooks writes about Reiner and tells wonderful tales of their friendship. I teared up more than once. I also laughed so hard that I almost peed my pants.
I love these two men together. They are fabulous in the book. They are also my favorite episode of Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Jerry had dinner with these two and it is very apparent how in awe he is of the situation. Brooks and Reiner are comedy legends, but it is apparent they are besties and love each other with their whole heart.
I finished this book on my way to California for a little spring break getaway with my family. I thought about it a lot during the trip. This was largely due to the fact I was lucky enough to meet up with some of my old friends on our journey.
My husband joined the Army right after college and we were fortunate enough to spend three years in Japan. To this day it is one of my favorite places. Yes, it is a beautiful and culturally rich country, but the people are what made the experience for me.
Whilst in San Francisco we spent most of a day with our next-door neighbors and good friends from Japan, Michelle and Mike. They are wonderful people. We even attended a high school band and choir concert where Mike, the school’s music director, gave us a shout-out. We reminisced, caught up and drank wine. We had not seen them in more than 20 years but it felt like little time had passed as we laughed and traded life stories. It was a fantastic time.
The next night we had dinner with another dear friend from our Japan days and her family. I’ve been fortunate to get to see her every few years. I always treasure our time together. This Michelle (I have many Michelles in my life) has the best energy and I just love being around her. I have never not felt better after spending time with Michelle. We ate, drank, caught up and vowed to talk more. It was a perfect evening.
We’ve moved a lot in our adult lives, but I’ve always made an effort to keep up with good friends. As people age, I feel it is harder to make friends. That is not to say we shouldn’t try, but preserving old friendships is also important.
I hope when I’m Mel Brooks’ age, I have decades of friendships to look back on and people to reconnect with who make me laugh and feel happy. That is a life well-lived.
My friends are so good to me. I try very hard to be a good friend in return. I love these people so much. Being a good friend is one of life’s highest accomplishments in my book.
Life is tough. I’m glad I don’t have to go it alone. Like Mel Brooks, my friends crack me the fuck up. And really, what is better than laughing with a friend?
Angela Traver
What is this blog about? Well, it's a general blog, but it is also a very specific blog. If you get that reference, you get a gold star! I have been a public relations professional and writer of press releases for more than 20 years—primarily in the booze biz. I decided to do some writing for fun and embrace the humor that gets me through most days. Hopefully it will make you chuckle—or at least smile. I’m a certified crazy magnet, and more than a little nutty myself, so buckle up. Also, I have two vices—profanity and red wine/whiskey. You’ve been warned. It should also be noted, that I’m a HUGE Bob & Sheri fan. I’ve been a listener for more than 20 years. This opportunity is a dream come true and it may have made me cry. That being said, I cry at everything. If you are into booze, dogs, food and/or knitting, hit me up on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter (although I’m terrible at Twitter and it scares me) @kyspiritsgal. You can also find all my previous blog posts at www.kyspiritsgal.com.
