So, Callie and I are neighbors who've lived next to each other as long as both of us can remember.
The earliest memory I have of our friendship is when we were at the annual picnic in our town of Grand Lakeview, known for having huge farming families, being very self-sufficiently run, and having a great lake in the very center of a ring of mountains.
To be completely honest, Grand Lakeview is extremely rural and rather separated from the rest of the world so when corona decided to visit the land, with how few tourists we get annually there were practically no cases.
Except for Albert, the cafe owner's, foster son, Damian, got a case when he was away at a concert of some band he's a fan of 'One Reflection'? Or something like that. Apparently, they're a band that broke up but then decided to get back together for one final show cause of 'memories' I say it's all propaganda for publicity
"But hey, who asked me?"
"What was that, Hiro?" Callie asked, having heard me, mutter to myself again. "You're not doing an internal monologue again are you?"
"Of course not, Callie!" I said in a dramatic tone before turning my head away from my friend, to mumble just loud enough for her to hear. "Alas our poor protagonist failed once again to see even a glimpse of sympathy in the eyes of the one called 'Callie' the sef proclaimed 'best friend' or the lovely one whom this story resounds, alas for just how much longer will she have to- OOF!" I'm stopped abruptly with a book to the face.
After we had 'escaped' Callie and I headed to our Treasure Trove. Named such because of what it held. What exactly is it you may ask? Why our treasure trove is the largest Weeping Willow in the world!
Albeit I've never seen another for comparison- But I'm sure this is the greatest one ever to grow on the earth! And beneath all the branches of weeping is our secret place.
As though the branches grew specifically for this purpose each branch was configured in a manner that was just right to place a multitude of shelves and closed cupboards.
In all, we had three large shelves and two closed cupboards in different places throughout the tree. On each shelf, you would find a different variety of books the shelf lowest in the branches held nature books and different informational literature.
Next to it was one of the cupboards that held mostly water bottles and canned drinks that wouldn't go bad being left out over the summer.
In the middle of the tree stood the second shelf and the second cupboard as well. The shelf held historical literature, classics, sci-fi, and historical fantasy- all of Callie's favorites plus a dictionary or two.
In the cupboard were snacks of all sorts, we had pocky sticks, pretzels, the must-have jerky, and a mini cooler that we stuck refrigerate-ables such as carrots that are snatched from the gardens and the like.
In the last shelf shoved as high as we could safely manage- Is my tree, and I have that sucker packed to the brim! With adventures, action-packed chaos, and so much comedic quality it near knocks the tree's socks off!
I love to laugh and sharing a laugh with another person is the best of feelings. Callie and I will have laugh offs all the time.
We find new favorite jokes and see who can last the longest without laughing- helps out whenever we play B.S [the card game]. I aways rule both games of course~ Nobody can beat my poker face, well, except for that one kid but he's too annoying to bother mentioning.