I can't help but think of New Years Eve thirty-years-ago today in New York City with Todd and me, some of our closest theater friends and our drama teacher and his partner.  We watced the ball drop from our (my friend Misty and I) hotel room window and as people were leaving Time Square Todd yelled "Happy New Year!!"  A couple yelled back and Todd invited them up to OUR room...yes, total strangers up to two teenaged girls room!  Now this was just the first of many crazy/stupid antics of that trip;

Drinking 13 bottles of $2 champagne between 4 non-drinking teenagers...and spending the next day puking!

Going with afore mentioned strangers who were New Yorkers in their car through Harlem and to their apartment.  We also found out that they did live sex shows for their job.  Luckily it was a safer time and we made it back alive! 

Todd and I walking along 42nd St. at 2:00am because Todd just wanted some alone time with him and me; we were dating but we truly were also best friends.  We literally saw people open their raincoats and show us weapons and drugs for sale...just like in the movies! 

Seeing a live play where the actors were completely nude.

Not strange but totally cool...Twisted Stster stayed in our hotel while we were there! 

There were more but this is the jist.  I have so many sweet and fun memories of my time with Todd.  I loved him deeply and always will and still, if I am honest, always knew who he truly was; even before he was ready to be true to himself.  My only regret is that I did not stay close to him throughout the rest of his life. 

Happy New Year everyone...

I will always remember Todd with an almost constant smile on his face!  We went to plays almost every Friday and Saturday night during my sophomore (his freshman) through my senior (his junior) year.  We would go all over portland and the surrounding areas to visit various theater companies, but probably the highlght of our time together was spent in New York over New Years in 1984/85.  He seriously contemplated ditching the plane ride home to stay there.  We would race to see who could name a song and artist on the radio in twenty seconds or less.  He and I would get HOT chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven every morning at Madison for breakfast and eat them while they burned our hands as we strolled the schools halls!  He even went to our family reunion, twice!  Once he was included in our family picture!  Almost all of my happy high school memories include Todd.
We were in many plays together but our favorite was Wizard of Oz.  He was the Tin Man and I was Auntie Em.  We were in both Concert and Swing Choirs together and he was the first love of my life.  We could talk all night long and still laugh and laugh even though we were horse and exhausted!  We loved to go to Yachats on the Oregon Coast.  I lost touch with Todd after I graduated and we went our seperate ways.  I have missed him for many years and tried to find him for almost as long.  I am sad to hear of his passing (and Dianne's as well, she was like my second mom) but he will forever live in my heart and memories.

Dear Todd
           
  In the early part of 2000 , I had a confrontation with you, I wanted to get in touch with you and clean up my part and sincerely apologize for my words and actions. I am sorry,-I have learned a valuable lesson :what I say and how i treat others really does matter, sometimes it really is too late to take back what I say  i am sorry -

                                                                          Craig-