J'land friends met today in person

Today I met a journal friend. Two actually, but one was already a friend of several years, and I had worked with her as a teacher for a few years. The other I had only met here at aol journals, beginning about September or so.

Many of you know the two ladies. You have visited their journals, left comments, and been visited by them. Today I had lunch with Aimer (aka Sheria) and Caromarls (aka Caroline).

We had been planning this trip for over a month. I first mentioned it in an entry about a week or so ago. However, throughout the week I began to wonder if Caroline would make it as I read of her struggle to deal with severe bouts of some kind of stomach virus. As the week progressed, first the baby, then her husband, then her son, and finally herself all came down with something that laid them all low for a couple of days. I called her this morning to find out if she was able to meet with us. She said she was well and ready to go.

I pick her up at her house. I haven't seen Caroline since last May when school let out. She looks great. How big her kids have grown. I say hello to everyone, then goodbye, and off we drive to Chapel Hill.

                                                              

As Caroline and I drive down Hwy 54 and into Carrboro, we have lots to catch up. Her new position in the second grade classroom is the best thing to happen in recent months. She shares stories of home, of South Africa, of her children, and her faith in God. I remark how much she and Shauneen (Bits of Me) look alike... they could be sisters. She laughs... she says lots of people back home said that to them.

Then my cell phone rings. It is Sheria calling to let us know that traffic is going to prevent her from getting to the restaurant by 12:00, that she is ten minutes away. I tell her not to worry, that she would get there before us because we are possibly 20 minutes away.

Finally, we're standing inside Mama Dip's waiting to be seated, and I'm looking into the dining area scanning for a single black woman. I know what Sheria looks like from the picture in her journal. I am sure I can pick her out. She has told me how tall she is, so I have that to help me identify her as well. Last night, in an email, I had told her that I'd be wearing purple and black. That, and my journal picture, is all she has by which to find me.

It is enough.

As we wait to be seated, Caroline and I chat on. A couple walks in behind us, and then a black woman. I look at her. No, couldn't be her. Too young. The woman's hair style is not Sheria's. Besides, I know Sheria is already here somewhere, seated, waiting for us. My neck stretches, I lean forward to catch sight of her in the dining room. Then I look back at the woman standing just a few feet away. I wonder, can she be her?

Finally, she turns and looks at me... at first, like a stranger, and only a cursory glance. But then, the upturn of the eyebrow... signaling recognition... the corners of her mouth raise just a bit, her brow creases in question.

"Bea?" she says.

"Sheria?" I return. I am sure I smile right then.

                                                            

And then we hug... it is the only thing to do, and then Caroline and Sheria hug.

We are seated at last, our orders are taken, and the three of us ease into conversation like old friends. It is that relaxed.

I like Sheria as much in person as I do reading her journal. Her laugh is infectious, her voice is bold, and her manner is easy-going. She has so many stories to tell of family and of growing up, so many more than I would think to tell. I admire her even more in person. She is dedicated to family, friends, and neighbors. Her outlook is positive. The things she tells us about, her teaching career, her decision to become a lawyer, inspire me. I would love to have worked beside her in the classroom. I am so pleased to count her as one of my friends.

We have questions for each other. Nothing written down, of course, but in our minds, I think we each come to this table with the kinds of questions one asks a new friend. We talk about school, our significant others, and of course, we talk about why we journal, and of the experience of being an aol journaler.... how we came to find each other, what we liked about each other's journal, and what we would like to do with our writing some day.

                            

Screen names drop from our lips like old friends. That is one of the things which we have in common... familiar screen names, the ones we've seen in our own journals.

You all! 

I haven't realized the importance of screen names until today... they are the names we know each other by in J'Land.... although we address each other by our given names when we email and leave comments. Our screen names are a code that only those of us who journal/blog would recognize.

We take several pictures, of course. That was a given even before we arrived. I almost lose my chance to take pictures, however, when my camera decides to display strange wavy lines on the little view screen. Fortunately, this has happened before, so I know how to fix it: I slap it twice on the side, and it works fine. Even the incredible technology of a digital camera responds well to a swift whap now and then.

The food is great... I order chicken and dumplins', they order fried fish. The cooking at Mama Dip's is southern country. I am tempted to order the pinto beans so I can try some homestyle chow-chow, but I order the peas, and turnip greens instead. Cornbread is a must. Three hours pass before we know it, and finally it is time to say goodbye.

As we step onto the great front porch of Mama Dip's, I say I want some pictures of us outside in the sun, and Caroline suggests we stand in front of the sign. I laugh as we take our places beside the sign... we are acting like such tourists.

                                    

In a way, we are tourists. We are journeying through life, stopping along the way, taking in the sights, and meeting new people. Tourists don't stay anywhere for very long, and they take lots of pictures. They only see the surface of where they pass through, but they often are able to catch the flavor of the moment.

That's what we did today. We tasted the flavor of a new friendship, discovered online.

                                      

This was fun! I'm so glad we met. I expect we will do lunch again someday. Sheria can call me or Caroline anytime she's in our town now. Maybe she'll even be able to visit my classroom one day!

I would love for that to happen.

Tags: Meeting online friends, aimer, caromarls, Mama Dip's