Oregon With Longtime Friends

In Ashland, our last Oregon stop, we saw the Elizabethan Theater and a cellist in Lithia Park, both treats even in 99-degree weather.

We’re still agape from Crater Lake. Awesome!

The reason for our Oregon trip: Phil Margolin’s wedding in Black Butte. In 1967, I fixed Phil up with my college roommate, Doreen. In 1968, I was their maid of honor.

We remained close friends, spoke constantly, and visited each other in NYC and Portland. I wrote about our friendship and about Doreen’s 2007 death in ‘Finding Mr. Rightstein.' I stayed in touch with Phil. We spent a lot of time talking about Doreen. We still do. She was a super friend. A super human being. That the light in Phil's eyes returned with Melanie is such a gift. Second chances at love are grand.

Before going to Black Butte, we spent a day in Portland. Despite no merchandise with John Waters’ lines, Powell's Books is cool. Even cooler was being in Lake Oswego with Inez. Inez, my friend since the first ten minutes of first grade 64 years ago, had both 'Finding Mr. Rightstein' and 'Writing From Personal Experience' out on her porch table. She and Bruce, her husband, whom I’ve known 59 years, welcomed Jonathan and me with so much love and warmth. Talk about old home week.

Later, after a long walk and dinner by the water, Jonathan and I let Inez get away with words that weren't words when we played Scrabble. I did, too, when she and I played alone after. Why challenge someone who gets me, not some version of me? Inez, the next time we play, I'll have the two-letter word list with me.