Summer Friends

At the beginning of my second year of university, a friend I had made the previous year asked me what I had done all summer.  I told her that I had been in New York for most of it.  So had she, she responded and didn’t I receive her phone messages.  Why hadn’t we hung out?  Well to be frank, I told her, it didn’t even occur to me.  I grew up in New York City and had no concept of year round friends.   I had school friends and summer friends. 

It’s a strange concept for most but for New Yorkers, who do their best to get out of the city as soon as the sidewalk starts to steam, it makes complete sense.   Most of my summer friends, New Yorkers or otherwise, ended up in NYC and some even made it to London and now they are firmly year round friends.   Things are different now.  More mothers work and escaping for the entire summer isn’t potentially as normal as it once was.  I wonder if the concept of summer friends still exists or if it’s just weekend friends.  Or maybe just friends.  I made these outfits for little babies whose parents used to be my summer friends, and I hope they will be summer friends as well.  They can decide if they want to upgrade to year round!