She doesn’t realize it right now, but Rachel is at the age now when she is making friends she likely will ask to be in her wedding. Who knows when that will be, or who will be involved, but hindsight tells anyone my age that it’s happening right now in an Bellaire Middle eighth grader’s life.

We had school dances back in those St. Mike’s days when the boys were on one side of the gymnasium and the girls were on the other. The only time anyone ever danced at those things was during those slow songs by Styx and the Commodores played, or when the gutsy girls hit the dance floor for the fast song. But otherwise?

There was always that boy who wanted to ask her to dance for the very first time, and it was a big deal because it was junior high romance and those kinds of things meant more than anything. And you remember the boy and the girl – and of course, they remember each other – and the song and even if you and your friends thought the popcorn was any good that night.

And these days you laugh and cry about those days, with those same lifelong friends, too, because that time in your life has become the good old days.

The church had a summer fair, too, and there was a wrecked automobile in the school’s front yard, and all you had to do was pay a quarter to have the chance to take a few whacks at it with a sledgehammer. It was the best thing ever … even though cars were made of steel back then so if you and your friends made significant dents, it was very good for one’s “cool” status.

And these days you laugh and cry about those days, with those same lifelong friends, too, because that time in your life has become the good old days.

Rachel is bringing a friend of hers to the Bordas & Bordas Studio this afternoon because our main topic this week for “The Rachel & Steve Show” is friendship and what it means these days to be “friends.”

Facebook friends? Only online friends? School friends? Dance friends? Or friends friends?

We’ll find out.

“Novotney Now” on River Talk Radio – 100.1 FM and AM1290 in the Wheeling area and 100.9 FM and AM1430 in Steubenville/Weirton.