Lesley

Lesley Landgren and I met the fall of 1991. We were freshmen at Moline High School in Moline, Illinois, and it was Homecoming season. I went to float-building one night to help "pomp" (I think that's the proper term) and such. The old song The Lion sleeps tonight came on the radio, and I of course started singing along. This lovely blond girl next to me smiles and says "You've got a great voice!". I say thanks, and we continue chatting. A few days later, I noticed Lesley and I had gym at the same time. Our gym lockers were right across from each other in the locker room. We struck up a conversation on how we would love to trade- she would take my red hair, and I would take her beautiful, clear skin. What 14 year old doesn't want a clear complexion?! We sat together on the bus to go bowling in gym class. She told me about her gorgeous, senior-class boyfriend. He eventually dumped her a few weeks later for reasons I'm not sure of. Throughout freshman year, we just remained acquaintances. When sophomore year began, I decided it was a good time to "spread my wings". I was not hanging out with such a good crowd. There was no gang violence or anything like that. Jesus, it's Moline, Illinois! But the girls I was hanging around were mean, snobby, and not very nice to me. So I joined Stage Crew. Ah yes. I got my feet wet in the world of theatre. That fall was the play Up the Down staircase. At crew, there was Lesley, and a whole group of people I had never met who were nice to me! Go figure! So I started hanging out with Les, just as she dumped her group of not-so-nice friends. I think it was kismet. It was something that even 14 years later, I can't explain. Like we were meant to be friends, and we came together at just the right time. We became inseparable. When I finally left crew to start acting, Les was always there to support me. Granted my first role ever was in Oklahoma!, where I had a mere six lines. But she was there nonetheless. We gathered a group of close friends from stage crew and theatre and other such places. We were definately a Motley Crew, but we fit.

The summer after our sophomore year, we did summer Shakespeare in the Park. It was the summer Lesley met her first husband, Andy. It was the summer of first loves for all, I think. It was the summer of Ryan Mahoski and giant underpants hanging in the kitchen of the costume house.

Throughout the end of high school, Les and I remained close. She married Andy in the summer of 1996 at the tender age of 19. She divorced his ass three years later (go girl). I went to college, I graduated from college. Les was always there no matter what. She was the first person I told when I fell in lust with a nameless actor in high school. She was the first person I told when I had sex for the first time. She was the only person who brought ice cream and the game Girl Talk when the first real love of my life broke my heart. I moved in with her for a brief 7 months in the winter of 1999. I think something cracked in our friendship then. I moved out the next June, which I think was very good for our relationship. I met Rob, and ditched her for a date with him one night (sorry, Les! It was payback for six years of Andy).

We've always stayed in touch, even though I'm 500 miles away from her now. It wasn't until recently that our friendship has taken a drastic turn toward the better. I don't think we were as close as we once were, but something happened between us about six months ago that brought us closer yet. I'm not even sure what it is, but it's wonderful. It's something I treasure greatly. Les is my rock, one of my oldest friends, and knows me better than anyone. She knows my deepest, darkest secrets, and I hers.


I'm so proud of Lesley. She's nearly finished with her degree at U of Iowa, and will be a pharmacist by next year! She recently got married (2nd time's the charm) to Corey on December 31, 2005 in a lovely ceremony. This is a pic of them at the reception.

This blog is drawn from the fact that she will be coming to see me in Chess. Les has not seen me perform in 8 years, and I'm so glad I'll be able to share this with her. I love you, girl!