By, Shannon Randol, intern contributor, American Red Cross

Spongebob always did know how to sing a good tune.

A BFF – A person you call when you need a shoulder to lean on, bail money for an oopsie, and the first person you think of when making plans. What is life without a BFF?

A friendship – when you know every detail about your partner in crime and loving them anyways in spite of their quirks, flaws and habits. Plus, who else would you get into trouble with?

When I was about 8 or 9-years old, me and my BFF sat on a patch of grass all afternoon in the middle of summer selling 25 cent lemonade. We wanted to earn as many quarters as possible to run up to the gas station and buy Pixy Stix and Spice Girl suckers. I was so close to finishing the S.P.I.C.E. in my sticker book, all I needed was the C!

During sleep overs, we’d stay up all night watching Moulin Rouge on repeat. Learning every word to the songs and pretending what it would be like to kiss Christian (Ewan McGregor). He was so dreamy. 

On weekends we’d walk down to the park and watch all the older boys skateboard. What was it about a guy who had longer hair and wore knee pads in the 90’s?

After I moved down to Florida we’d stay friends on this new thing called Myspace and exchange html codes so our profiles would be the coolest. And if we weren’t in each others top ten, lawd have mercy.

One summer, my BFF and her mom (my mom’s BFF) came to Florida for a visit. Jeepers Creepers had just been released on DVD and the two of us decided to watch it. As official high-schoolers and full blown adults now, hahaha riight, we assumed the two of us could handle the Jeepers.

We sat on an over-sized loveseat huddled under the blankets WITH the lights turned on, watching cautiously between the spaces in our hands. Our parents were outside on the patio, unaware of their two teenage daughters about to pee themselves…

The Creeper had just flung his throwing star and of course the bus is hit in the middle of the night. He attacks from the emergency escape vent on the top of the bus. It’s paired with dicey music and shaky videography, our nerves on the verge of being split.

At this very moment, unbeknownst to us our parents began to make scratching noises on the french door window panes right next to us. With very little time to make the connection our parents were having fun of their own, we flew out of our seats, tripping over each other because we were still wrapped in the protective shield of our blanket.

Our parents opened the door and fell through the threshold laughing and stumbling over themselves. Not. Cool. Mom.

On National Friendship Day, the American Red Cross North Texas Region wants to wish all of its BFF’s (staff, volunteers, sponsors and people alike) a very happy friendship day! You’re all our BFF’s, because without you, who else would make our mission worth working for and what could we get done without you?!