MISTAKEN IDENTITY

OUT TO LUNCH...OR WHAT?

I have two friends both named  Cathy with a "C".

One Cathy was my next door neighbor at our Secrest Court house in Arvada, Colorado.  A woman who became like a sister to me, and with whom after more than four decades I still share a special bond.  In the last few years, in spite of living over an hour away from each other, we get together every few months for a long early lunch which always lasts well into the afternoon as we catch up with the news of family and the stuff life is made of.

Her three children are the same ages as my three oldest kids.  She is about six months older than I am.  And she went with me to the hospital and stayed with me throughout the remaining hours of labor--and then delivery when Brittany was born.  This is the woman who taught me HOW to be a neighbor.  She flew to Colorado from Philadelphia where she and her family were then living to be with my kids during the time I accompanied Ross back to Belin after Jeremy died.  

She is literally the salt of the earth, an outstanding Christian woman who is not afraid to step up and help out, in the neighborhood AND the community,even when it is messy and not convenient.  I cherish our friendship and the rare opportunity I have to be with someone who knew me and my family before everything changed in our lives.

My other Cathy is a friend whom I met at church when we moved to Johnstown 18 years ago.  Our assiciation has not been as in-depth as my other friend, but we have shared some good experiences in the course of our relationship at church and in the community.  However, we have never, ever met for anything social like a one-on-one lunch.

COVID has put a damper on those long lunches with Cathy C.  I missed them a lot.  So a few weeks ago I wrote a short email to her expressing my impatience to get back to the business of our friendship.  Unlike I usually do, this time I didn't mention anything about catching up with what was happening with her kids or anything personal.  In fact it was quite generic.  Just a mention that I got a gift card from Panera's and that I was excited to use it.  

Cathy C. usually comes before Cathy H. in my phone contacts.  But I had recently sent an email to Cathy H. about the music for our church services.  I am the organist, and she is the music director.  Must have blipped her addresss to the top of the list. Anyway, I didn't pay attention and clicked on the first Cathy without reading the last name.

A short while later I received a gracious e-note from Cathy H.  She wrote that lunch sounded really nice.  It had been a stressful week for her with the latest news of COVID aftermath.  "Love, you, Georgia.  Thanks for reaching out.  Sure miss socializing with friends."

Good thing I wasn't too specific. How embarrassing it would have been to have to admit I had sent that email to the "wrong" Cathy.  I had no idea that Cathy H. would enjoy my company at lunch.  I replied we would save a date just for that.

Well, I went to that looong lunch with Cathy C. the other day.  It was still the satisfying encounter it has always been.  So, I guess I'll get in touch with Cathy H. and see what her week looks like.  I might really enjoy having lunch with "Cathy" more often.

Lesson to me:  watch what I'm doing!  The computer saves a lot of time, but it looks like I might have gotten careless about checking before I clicked
--or my hand was shaky and I accidentally clicked on the second entry.  Either way, it's the same sad advice I give people all the time....

DON'T GET OLD!