MAKING NEW FRIENDS, LOSING OTHERS

Dearest Friends,

One thing you learn when you move around as much as we have, is that it sucks being the one left behind.  It's hard enough saying good-bye to those who are close to you, if you are the one heading off on an exciting new adventure.  So much harder when you are the one that everyone seems to be leaving.  Sometimes though, it forces you to reach out of your comfort zone and make some new connections.

BD & S, flanked by Nellie and Dave, at one of the many going-away parties we hosted.

JH and his wife V. were just the first of our circle to be feted with going-away parties.  Many more were to follow.  The next would be S. and BD, my best girlfriend since I had first arrived in Bahrain.  Paula and I were friends at that point, but we each had another best friend that we had met earlier.  Mine was BD, and her's was LF.  LF was the gorgeous Irish (or was it Scottish?) beauty -- the former stewardess who frequented the sheik's parties, and who was now executive assistant to B&R's top guy in Bahrain.  She and her American hubby, who worked offshore with Tim, both looked like fashion models and loved spending money and living the fast life.  I called them The High-Rollers.  Anyhoo, I think Paula and I both found out we were losing our best friends right around the same time, and that became the first of many lasso-loops that would draw us closer and closer together in the years to come.