Best Friends Forever

Me and my Best Friend Forever, Anita

We are in Big Spring, Texas where I moved when I was 10 years old and left when I was 16.  My father was in the Air Force and was stationed here at Webb AFB – which has been closed for years now.

When I was in the 9^th grade at Runnels Junior High School I met Anita F. Horne and she became my best friend.  Along with Annette, the three of us got into lots of trouble together, drank some beers, smoked some cigarettes and found BOYS!  We spent the next 3 years making lots and lots of memories.  And then I moved away.  About 15 years ago, Anita managed somehow to find me again via the internet.  We have stayed in touch ever since and I actually visited here some 8 years ago.

Yesterday after we got hooked up, Anita and her husband of 50 years (yes, I knew Don back then also) came over for cocktails.  Nothing has changed….Anita looks the same and is just a sweet a person as ever.  Kirby had never met them so I got to show him off a bit.  He and Don hit it off right away….they both have a do-it-myself background and both love RVing. 

And then, because we were still hitched up, they invited us to go with them on a tour of memories.   We went to look at my old house, my grade school (which has been rebuilt and is beautiful), the Junior High School, the High School, and the streets and houses that no longer look the same but we could see in our minds just as they were back then.  It was a true walk down Memory Lane with two wonderful people that I love dearly!  Thank you so much for really and truly being my Best Friend Forever, Anita!

Big Spring High School.  I moved to Colorado before we graduated but I will always love my Steers!

Looking straight up at the Settles Hotel in Big Spring.  Almost 50 years ago this hotel was in in terrible disrepair.  They were so desperate for business that they rented a ballroom to a bunch of teenagers.  That was my going away party.  No adults were involved.  It was such a wonderful act of love by my friends that they did this for me - raised the money and put on a great send off for me. 

The hotel has recently been completely renovated and it is stunning. 

Anita and I posed on the graceful staircase.

And we posed in the Ladies Room.

This is the Grand Ballroom.  It is an exact replica of the same room in 1930.  Is it awesome or what?

See the pretty lady in the picture?  That is Virgina Wilson who was my friend and classmate in high school.  It was her son who led the renovation of the Settles Hotel.