I started third-grade as a tomboy - crazy about boys, mind you, but pretty oblivious to fashion until Darla and Candy walked into the classroom wearing fishnet stockings. In 1967 you couldn't get any cooler than fishnet stockings.
That's my first memory of Darla, but she moves in and out of other memories over the next forty years. For instance, I tasted my first Dorito at a party at her house (that was when she was in love with Donny Osmond and everything in her room was purple, his favorite color.)
But ironically, although we had mutual friends and ran in some of the same circles, we somehow missed each other all through high school. We didn't become close friends until we worked together on our ten-year high school reunion. We clicked and have stuck like glue ever since. Tom and I even followed her to the Austin area. (I wonder if I would have had the guts to move here if she hadn't done it first?)
So there you have it...Darla introduced me to fishnet stockings, Doritos, and the Austin area. And today she even stepped across that #50 line ahead of me. What a great friend!
Happy 50th birthday, dear Darla!
Here we are together on Senior Kid Day '77 (in back, Randy, Mark, Larry, Teason, Curtis, Billy, Rusty; in front, me, Wesley, Tamara, Darla, and Brenda)
Here we are together last year in her back yard when she graciously hosted my birthday party - she hosted three or four get-togethers last year! (Donna, Leslie, Larry, Todd, Darla, me, Ann.)
And here we are tonight at Tokyo Steakhouse - Leslie, Darla, me, Madison (thanks for taking the photo, Clive!)
