I spent most of a couple hours talking with a GG who had no clue I was anything but what I presented myself to be...namely, me, Cathy. That's the triumph part. When she finally tumbled, she was blown away and completely complimentary, to the point where she wanted to exchange email addresses.

The tragedy part is that she was talking with me, consoling me, because I had gotten a phone call from my housemate, telling me that her little dog, her "little girl," had choked on a piece of cheese and died, and I was crying. Tina tried to get the cheese out of Sassy's mouth, but got bitten and didn't try again. Our neighbor tried cpr, but it was too late. And so, a precious little member of our little family is gone. Tina is blaming herself because she gave the cheese to the dog, but I think she knows, deep inside, that it was just a tragic accident.

So for the next day or more, my main job is keeping a close watch on Tina, consoling her when she'll let me, and just being here for her. She's my best friend, and we've been through a lot together. It's what we do for one another that cements our friendship together, what we've been for one another.

Cathy