M: My first memory of you was at camp when we were 12 years old. I think you were wearing white shorts.

S: I don't remember what color shorts you were wearing. But I do remember that you were completely different from me. And even though we were indeed the odd couple, we hit it off immediately.

S: What was your best memory of childhood?

M: My best memory of childhood was not within my home. It was being in your house, with a family, things that I just never had. I don't really have pleasant memories of my childhood.

S: You were a child of divorced parents and in the 40s and 50s that was pretty much a scandal to have a mother who was divorced. First you were embarrassed by it and then you hid it. You said your father was a traveling salesman.

M: Probably that's why I have such good memories with you, Shelia, and my other friends.

S: What did you do for fun?

M: Oh, what did I do for fun I taught you how to smoke, forced you to smoke.

S: My memory of that was that you went out to California to visit you father and you came back with flaming red hair at 15 and smoking. And I thought this was the best thing that ever happened to anybody.

M: Well, this is what I did. I took you and a few other girls to my house; I bought a pack of every brand possible; and everyone was sick and everyone was choking. And I said you're gonna learn and you're gonna do it right. And they all came out, unfortunately, and smoked. Thank goodness most of them stopped. And I have a little emphysema. But other than that I'm fine.

S: That was a very funny time in our lives.

M: And we've had many funny times as adults.

S: I don't think weve ever really spoken about how much our friendship means to each other. Each of us has no sisters so in that respect we are family.

M: We can talk 5 times a day and always have something to say.

S: And we know that were there for each other when there's nobody else.

M: Agreed. Agreed.