Chapter 1: Dinner at LuLu's Noodles
One cold Saturday night in mid-January, my best friend, Erica Homeson accompanied me to Oakland. I reunited with my old friends from childhood: best friends and siblings Sarah Phillips, James Hiller, and Henri LeFevre. "Hello again, my friends!" I happily greeted them and then gave all 3 of them a hug. "I have missed you guys so much. How was your trip to Gettysburg?" "It was lots of fun, Angel," Sarah replied. "I have a new car now," James told me, "since my old car broke down before Christmas." "We were gone from December 16 until January 2," Henri then informed me. "Wow, Henri is beginning to remember dates well," I then noticed. "How are things going for you, Erica?" Sarah then asked Erica. "I saw the same show that you saw with Angel and her other friends on Christmas Day," Erica then told Sarah. "I especially liked seeing the movie A Christmas Story over Christmas," I told everybody. "Have you seen that movie?" "Oh yes," James then replied. "It's really funny." I told Sarah, James, and Henri what my favorite parts of the movie were. We then decided to go to LuLu's Noodles on Craig Street for dinner. Erica went to a Mexican restaurant on Forbes Avenue to get a rice bowl and a milkshake. "I remember the day that we first met each other like it was just yesterday," I happily remembered, and then sighed. "Good old days, huh?" "Uh-huh," Sarah agreed. "I was 14 years old, Sarah was 12 years old, and you and Henri were both 8 years old," James then chimed in. "It was the day that my dad and Sarah's mom got married at the Natrona Heights Presbyterian Church in September of 2002!" "Thank goodness this winter is nothing like the year that we all met and became friends, huh, guys?" I then asked. "What are you talking about, Angel?" Sarah asked. "2002-2003 was a brutally cold and snowy winter and a weak 1st year in a stage, while this 1st year in the stage is much stronger. I would expect winters like that year in this stage to be more of the exception rather than the rule." "Angel and her weather stuff," Henri then remarked. "Yeah, that was a very cold winter with a lot of snow delays and cancellations," James then remembered. "We also had a white Christmas that year too, which we didn't have this year." "This winter is more like the winter of 1992-1993, the year after I was born," I then informed my friends. We then got menus so we could order our dinners. I ordered a chicken and broccoli rice bowl with a milk chocolate almond milkshake. Sarah ordered pad thai noodles and tofu with boba tea. James ordered wonton noodle soup with Diet Coke. Henri ordered what I normally have to eat at LuLu's: classic beef lo mein and a strawberry smoothie with gummies inside. "Anyway, that wedding was so much fun," James happily stated. "I thought our banquet at the same church my freshman and your junior year was so much fun, too," Sarah then reminisced. "We had the same types of food that we ate at the wedding: spaghetti marinara and salad, and cake, of course!" "All this talk of food is making me hungry!" Henri admitted. "When is the food going to be coming?" Our meals then arrived in no time. "Chinese lo mein is another thing that I learned to like at 10 years old, as well as spaghetti with tomato sauce, even if I didn't like salad that much," Henri informed us. "Same here," I agreed. "I didn't like salad, either." Henri then showed us how he ate lo mein noodles, as they were the "Chinese version" of spaghetti noodles. He took his fork and twisted a pile of noodles onto his fork and then ate them. "I think we ate a lot of tricky foods at our banquet," Henri told us. "Spaghetti, salad..." "Now, I wish I had salad myself," James then replied. "And spaghetti with marinara sauce," Sarah chimed in. "Don't you guys like the food you're eating right now?" I asked. "Oh, right, my pad thai noodles," Sarah forgot. "My wonton noodle soup," James added. "I'm jealous, Henri," I told him. "I wish I had the meal that you are having right now." "Don't you like your dinner, Angel?" Henri asked. "I do, but I just like what you're eating better," I told him. "Then, why did you order your rice bowl?" James asked me. "To try something different, that's all," I replied. "I have had pad thai noodles on a few occasions," Sarah stated, "and they were pretty good, so pad thai noodles are definitely one of my favorite things to eat at LuLu's." "I don't know if I like the texture of this wonton soup," James admitted. "I would like to try it," I offered. "Go ahead, Angel," James agreed. "I am not going to have anymore." I then tried a couple of noodles, but ended up not finishing them. "You know what?" Sarah asked all of us. "What, Sarah?" I replied. "I'm glad there is no wedding or banquet tonight," Sarah told us. "Why, Sarah?" James asked. "So, I don't have to get dressed up in this cold weather," Sarah told us. "You know, like a dress and high heels and stuff?" "You look beautiful just the way you are, Sarah," I told my best friend. "Why thank you, Angel!" Sarah praised. Of course, Sarah had on a burgundy sweater, blue jeans, and black boots. I also learned that Sarah's hair was naturally wavy and that she sometimes straightens it, just like me. After we got our checks, we then met Erica back outside on Craig Street. "Hey, I have an idea," I told all my friends. "What's that?" Sarah asked me. "Why don't we have a sit-down meal at your apartment every weekend, and we can talk about some of our best moments from childhood, as well as see if we can improve on them?" I suggested. I then turned to Erica and told her, "You can join us sometimes if you want." "Sure," Erica agreed. "How about next Saturday?" "Okay then," James agreed. "Next Saturday, it is!" "Well, I guess we better be going home now, huh, Erica?" I asked Erica. "Yes, we should," Erica agreed. "It's getting late." "Bye, guys!" I then told my friends. "Bye, guys!" Sarah replied back. "Have a good evening!"