“Be my Company Girl!” one of my little red-headed girls
would say to the other.
The invitation usually came with an outstretched hand and a hopeful smile.
It was their way of saying, “Keep me company!”
It didn’t seem to matter if it was a trip to the potty or a trip to the playroom,
the sisters had their own way of communicating.
Wherever they were going, whatever they were doing,
it was going to be better with a Company Girl along.
I can still picture them,
with their eyes sparkling and their legendary scarves flying.
Company Girls.
Over the years, the phrase “Company Girl” became one of those family-speak phrases
that is special to our small band of five.
Sometimes my husband asks me to be his Company Girl
on a trip to the home improvement store.
And I like having a Company Girl in the kitchen with me while dinner is cooking.
Household chores always seem to go faster,
a walk to the mailbox is more enjoyable,
and even a run to the grocery store is much more adventuresome
with a Company Girl along.
The invitation to be a Company Girl is our inside way of saying,
“I like your company, and I want you to be with me.”
It requires nothing of the invitee but to Be There.
Be along for the ride.
Sit in companionable silence.
Enjoy a laugh.
Share the experience.
I’ve learned something about friendship
from those two red-headed girls and their quaint little phrase.
They taught me that almost everything in life is better when it’s shared.
And I learned that there are Company Girls everywhere.
You just have to discover them.
Sometimes you meet someone
and know instantly that she would make a perfect Company Girl.
And sometimes you have to know someone for a very long time
before you realize that you’ve become Company Girls.
Company Girls come in all shapes and sizes.
Sisters often make excellent Company Girls.
So do mothers. And mother-in-laws, sometimes.
A childhood friend makes a bona fide Company Girl,
because she sees you as a hop-scotch friend
and not as the wrinkled lady you are becoming.
A Company Girl doesn’t have to be exactly like you.
You can disagree on politics, religion and
whether or not your shoes should match your purse,
and still be Company Girls.
A Company Girl can be much older, or much younger than you,
because age doesn’t seem to matter when it comes to this kind of friendship.
Same with skin color and family background.
If you are lucky enough to have a Company Girl,
you know you can count on her voice at the other end of the line.
Her name is on your speed-dial.
A Company Girl actually cares when you are searching for the perfect hairstyle,
Sometimes my husband asks me to be his Company Girl
on a trip to the home improvement store.
And I like having a Company Girl in the kitchen with me while dinner is cooking.
Household chores always seem to go faster,
a walk to the mailbox is more enjoyable,
and even a run to the grocery store is much more adventuresome
with a Company Girl along.
The invitation to be a Company Girl is our inside way of saying,
“I like your company, and I want you to be with me.”
It requires nothing of the invitee but to Be There.
Be along for the ride.
Sit in companionable silence.
Enjoy a laugh.
Share the experience.
I’ve learned something about friendship
from those two red-headed girls and their quaint little phrase.
They taught me that almost everything in life is better when it’s shared.
And I learned that there are Company Girls everywhere.
You just have to discover them.
Sometimes you meet someone
and know instantly that she would make a perfect Company Girl.
And sometimes you have to know someone for a very long time
before you realize that you’ve become Company Girls.
Company Girls come in all shapes and sizes.
Sisters often make excellent Company Girls.
So do mothers. And mother-in-laws, sometimes.
A childhood friend makes a bona fide Company Girl,
because she sees you as a hop-scotch friend
and not as the wrinkled lady you are becoming.
A Company Girl doesn’t have to be exactly like you.
You can disagree on politics, religion and
whether or not your shoes should match your purse,
and still be Company Girls.
A Company Girl can be much older, or much younger than you,
because age doesn’t seem to matter when it comes to this kind of friendship.
Same with skin color and family background.
If you are lucky enough to have a Company Girl,
you know you can count on her voice at the other end of the line.
Her name is on your speed-dial.
A Company Girl actually cares when you are searching for the perfect hairstyle,
but won’t mention if you are having a Bad Hair day.
A Company Girl will tell you if you have something between your teeth,
or some type of undergarment showing where it shouldn’t.
I think that pretty much goes without saying.
If you ever need someone to sit with you in a doctor’s waiting room,
a Company Girl will do it and not make you feel guilty for asking.
Once, when it came time to put our old dog to sleep,
A Company Girl will tell you if you have something between your teeth,
or some type of undergarment showing where it shouldn’t.
I think that pretty much goes without saying.
If you ever need someone to sit with you in a doctor’s waiting room,
a Company Girl will do it and not make you feel guilty for asking.
Once, when it came time to put our old dog to sleep,
a dear Company Girl came and took her to the vet for me
and then sat with her while she died.
She knew I couldn’t do it myself, and I’ve never forgotten it.
Some Company Girls are like that. They just know.
A Company Girl friendship transcends time and space.
You can pick up right where you left off,
even if it’s been years since you last saw one another.
Even if you don’t live close, or rarely get to see each other because
your kids play sports and you’re always in the car,
being Company Girls means that you share something special.
It means you aren’t pressured to be high-maintenance “BFF’s.”
(Best Friends Forever).
You can simply enjoy being with one another....as little or as often as you get to.
It means that spending time together is a gift, not an expectation.
It means that listening is more important than talking.
That riding along is better than driving by yourself.
And it means that friendship is measured by understanding and kindness,
and the ability to see the best in each other.
Even on your worst days.
Sometimes I think I’ve missed out
on some good Company Girl experiences because I’ve been too busy.
It would have been easy
to pick up the phone to chat for a minute, or grab a cup of coffee with a friend,
but I’ve often had more “pressing” things to do.
And I assumed others would be too busy, too.
I didn’t want to interrupt.
I regret taking so long to discover what my little girls knew
before they even started kindergarten.
That a Company Girl is found
with an outstretched hand and a hopeful smile.
It doesn’t cost anything to have one, and it doesn’t require a pedigree to be one.
You simply have to be willing to take a chance on friendship,
extend an invitation and then...well.
Then see what happens.
Keep your heart open and your hand ready.
Because you just never know when you might look up and realize
that you are somebody’s Company Girl already.
Or that the Company Girl you’ve been looking for has been near you all along.
Just clasp a hand, give a smile and enjoy the ride.
Company Girls simply know: Life is better when it’s shared.
© Rachel Anne Ridge 2008
www.homesanctuary.com
She knew I couldn’t do it myself, and I’ve never forgotten it.
Some Company Girls are like that. They just know.
A Company Girl friendship transcends time and space.
You can pick up right where you left off,
even if it’s been years since you last saw one another.
Even if you don’t live close, or rarely get to see each other because
your kids play sports and you’re always in the car,
being Company Girls means that you share something special.
It means you aren’t pressured to be high-maintenance “BFF’s.”
(Best Friends Forever).
You can simply enjoy being with one another....as little or as often as you get to.
It means that spending time together is a gift, not an expectation.
It means that listening is more important than talking.
That riding along is better than driving by yourself.
And it means that friendship is measured by understanding and kindness,
and the ability to see the best in each other.
Even on your worst days.
Sometimes I think I’ve missed out
on some good Company Girl experiences because I’ve been too busy.
It would have been easy
to pick up the phone to chat for a minute, or grab a cup of coffee with a friend,
but I’ve often had more “pressing” things to do.
And I assumed others would be too busy, too.
I didn’t want to interrupt.
I regret taking so long to discover what my little girls knew
before they even started kindergarten.
That a Company Girl is found
with an outstretched hand and a hopeful smile.
It doesn’t cost anything to have one, and it doesn’t require a pedigree to be one.
You simply have to be willing to take a chance on friendship,
extend an invitation and then...well.
Then see what happens.
Keep your heart open and your hand ready.
Because you just never know when you might look up and realize
that you are somebody’s Company Girl already.
Or that the Company Girl you’ve been looking for has been near you all along.
Just clasp a hand, give a smile and enjoy the ride.
Company Girls simply know: Life is better when it’s shared.
© Rachel Anne Ridge 2008
www.homesanctuary.com