My Friend

At my age, what is the most appropriate name for the lady you know who is your friend and that you really, really like? She is my age. She is quite cute, smart and independent. She has raised two daughters by herself and they both have done very well. She stills works.

We go for coffee some mornings and talk. Since we are the same age and have raised daughters we have lots in common. We go for drives by the beach the way people used to before gas got to $4 and they all commuted 100 miles to work each day. We have been to a movie and to dinner several times. Sometimes, in rare good weather, we take a walk and talk.

I like her. She’s nice. I asked her to be my girlfriend and she said she would. Recently, she introduced me to a friend of hers as her “BF”. I liked that too but thought “BF” was, perhaps, a little young for us. I also don’t know if it stands for “boyfriend” or “best friend”. It must be “boyfriend” because she clearly has friends from her past who better fit the “best friend” category.

I remember, years ago, an old fellow introducing someone to my mother as “his lady friend” I thought that sounded awful then and I still do. I can’t even begin to get my head around “significant other” except as the result of some sort of condition. “I had a fever so long, I developed a significant other”.

I think of Diann as a girl and she is my friend so I guess I’ll stick with that unless someone has a better word.