When You’re Right, You’re Right

Chelsea and I have been best friends for over ten years now.  For the most part, we understand each other and spend our time trying to make each other laugh.  However, we also have a tendency to bicker with each other- usually done in love, but with a careful sheen of sarcasm to cover our true feelings.

Since we’ve known each other so long we sometimes feel more like family than friends and will occasionally fall into classic birth order archetypes.  I am a youngest child and as a result am typically fairly easy-going and agreeable (what some might call a pushover) although I’m also attention-seeking (read: ham) and, at times, dramatic.  Chelsea is an oldest child but is probably the most easy-going and agreeable girl I’ve ever met- until something sends her over the edge and then she starts talking at a pitch only small dogs can hear (Luckily, that’s only happened about 7 times in 10 years of friendship).  Basically, we both come from the “don’t-rock-the-boat” school of thought.

Chelsea only displays her eldest-child sensibilities when it comes to one thing: being right.  The girl is plain stubborn and when she decides she is correct about something no amount of convincing or proven data can dissuade her.  Charts and graphs are lost on her. 

For example, a few months ago, we were watching the Grammy’s and Chels asked me which Jonas Brother was Joe.  I told her I thought Joe was the one with the really dark hair and nerdy glasses.  She said “no, I’m pretty sure you’re wrong.  Joe’s the little one with the curly hair.”  I wondered why she asked me if she already knew the answer, but told her “oh, ok.  Well, you must be right.”  The next day I got a text from Chelsea saying she momentarily confused her JoBros and Joe was, in fact, the dark-haired glasses wearer.  Note that there was no admission of guilt there.  I realize it doesn’t sound like a big deal, and I realize that bragging about knowing my Jonas Brothers may not win me cool points, but magnify Chelsea’s reaction times 10 years and you feel my pain.

Well, I am here to report that finally, last Saturday I heard the first “you were right” of our 10 year friendship.  About 8 years ago I told Chelsea that casual dating was pointless because it just has to be headed somewhere.  She said I was insane and why would I say that.  Last Saturday, after a week-long, whirlwind “romance” (consisting of Starbucks, bowling and several hours wasted on text messages), which began and ended in a matter of 7 days Chelsea finally said I might be on to something about casual dating.  Her actual words were: “you were right”.  And that’s all I needed to hear.

An admission ten years in the making.  Not that I’m counting or anything.