Old friends: “I’m Fat!”

It was inevitable. We are 48 years old. There are five of us bemoaning our advancing age, aches and waistlines. And there were reading glasses appearing out of nowhere!

I am going to have to do a survey regarding who considered themselves overweight back in the day – besides me. I think when you come into your prime later in life it helps ease the transition into Crone – I’m just saying… cause I heard statements like:
“I weighed 120LBS when I was in college” being tossed around and they were being truthful! I haven’t weighed 120 pounds since I was in Junior high!!

One friend became completely depressed when I brought out the box of photos from 1979 through 1983. I realized how much we’ve changed and how dismayed everyone was because of their weight gain. We were so young – and all of the girls in the photo- save for me – were bonafide thin. I say “save for me” but in actuality, I was not nearly as “fat” as I thought I was. I would KILL to be that size now.

Honestly, I never really thought of my youthful appearance as something to mourn over. I felt far more attractive as a mature woman (when I lost 100 pounds in 2002-2004) than I ever did as a young woman in college, or high school for that matter. I was always thinking: “if only I were thin!”

But this day we were all keenly aware of our various weight gains. I was mourning my weight gain since 2005. (I was so thin and hot then!) One friend wanted to borrow pics of her “skinny days” to show her husband. So he can see me thin!

Oy!

Finally someone said:

This is who we are now, and Damnit! we are gonna love ourselves this weekend!

Amen sista!

Meanwhile, food was a huge part of our planning: Breakfast, late night pizza – someone said “add fries!”

Where are we going for dinner?

We wouldn’t be fat If we were planning our day around the gym! Ya think?

Fuck that!!!

It was a great weekend. The dynamics of our group were the same as in 1981: the alpha, the comediennes, the pragmatic and the kindly observer. And there was much love and affection between us.

We visited my nieces (21 year old niece is a senior at our alma mater, her sister was visiting) and her friends. It was Homecoming Weekend. It was lovely watching the girls primp and prepare for parties that we had primped for over 25 years ago. But I soon grew tired of looking at those flat stomachs, long skinny legs and perky titties.

And so we realized that we are now middle aged women. We are educated, funny, gregarious, spirited and enlightened middle aged women without any major wrinkles on our faces. And we ROCK!!!

One night we had dinner at the House of Blues Chicago where there was a Talking Heads cover band playing! The Talking Heads were straight from our era. The kids playing in the band were well under 30 years of age. I chatted with the leader of the band, who wasn’t a day over 25 years old. He proudly announced that they often perform the entire Stop Making Sense movie (the live concert tour filmed by Jonathan Demme in 1983) on stage.

I had to tell him:

You know, I saw the the Stop Making Sense Tour… live on stage in 1983.

I watched the awe and admiration spread across his face.

Wow! That must have been amazing!

I didn’t feel old at that moment. I felt cool and lucky. I smiled knowingly.

Yes, It was.

Note: I was going to post a photo of me & my friends but received a strong request not to do so. Bummer. I thought we looked beautiful.