Helen

Suzanne and Helen
 

My friend Helen is brilliant.  That's British for fantastic, awesome, and AH-mazing!  Helen is a full blooded Brit with equal parts of sweetness, loyalty, and mischief.  We were friends at AFCENT International High School in the Netherlands, and Helen made life exciting. 

She is tall, blond, beautiful, and smart. She speaks several languages including the Queen's English, French, German, and Russian.  She was asked to join National Honor Society and declined.  She took several AP classes and always did well, but she kept that to herself.

Her go-to phrases were, "I'm not bothered," which loosely translated meant, "I don't care one way or another," and "I'm easy," which meant, "You decide.  It doesn't matter to me."  And she meant it.  She never insisted on having her own way.  Helen was always up for a good time.  I promised I wouldn't reveal all the secrets, but I will always remember the night at the rock quarry with the Marechaussee and climbing the sand dunes.



Helen, Suzanne, Serena
Senior Prom

Serena (read about her here), Helen, and I were wonderful friends at AFCENT.  I always had a good time when one or both of them were with me.  We supported one another and were a diverse trio:  sweet, British Helen; fun-loving American Suzanne; ambitious Dutch/American Serena.  It was a combination that worked, and I dearly loved these friends!  For senior superlatives, Helen was runner-up for Most Friendly (our good friend, Kari, won so there were no feelings of discontent), I was  Best-All Around, and Serena was Most Likely to Succeed. 

 

Helen and I were on the school's tennis team together.  We had to run down the street to the tennis courts by the swimming pool after school and would get there as quickly as we could.  Our coach fussed at us saying we needed to be there as soon as the final bell rang.  Helen and I stood silently listening to his rant.  As he walked away Helen began fussing at his back in her beautiful British accent saying she had never been spoken to like that before and didn't intend to be spoken to like that again.  I don't believe the coach actually heard her, but I remember laughing and thinking, "Thata girl, Helen!"

 



Homecoming Bonfire
Helen, Suzanne, Katrina

Helen and I accidentally crashed a prom party our junior year.  I will spare the details, but she was mortified to say the least.  We defended the American flag together for a debate in U.S. Government.  (We debated against our dear friend, Serena, who later became an attorney--we lost.)  We threw paper wads at Jarrod in Mr. Gage's class--Jarrod was such a good sport! Helen and I also wrote a paper together on President Harding for Mr. Gage's class (Read about our beloved teacher here.).  I tried to imitate her British accent.  She told me I sounded like a posh news reporter.  I was flattered.  She would try to speak American English.  The best she could do was say, "I caaaaaaan't."

 

We disagreed over the meaning of the word, "B-o-n-k."  I used it this way:  "I got bonked on the head with a tennis ball."  She was appalled and covered her mouth laughing.  I looked at her puzzled.  "Oh, Suzanne.  We just don't use that word that way in England!"  I showed her a Dr. Seuss children's book with the word in it.  She laughed and brought me a silly greeting card from a British store that showed it was not a term to use lightly.  I finally understood.  Serena, Jarrod, Helen, and I used it as much as possible after that.  It is all over our senior wills and littered throughout our yearbook signings.  (The current teacher in me is shaking her head with her hands on her hips and giving a disapproving look.  The 17 year old in me is giggling shamelessly!)





Helen in Amsterdam for Senior Skip Day

Our junior year we sat at the best lunch table EVER with our dear friends Serena, Amy, Jisca, Rich, Jarrod, Tammi, Amanda, and Tracy (I feel like I'm missing a few people...hmmm).  Our senior year consisted of a new blue cafeteria and many lunches spent in NHS and SCA meetings.  I missed sitting with the best crew ever, but still had fun at the various meetings.

 

I would take the train from where I lived in Germany to visit her in the Netherlands.  We would meet in Maastricht and spent many a weekend exploring the city.   Loved, loved, loved those trips!

For Senior Skip Day everyone took the train to Amsterdam for the day.  Helen, Serena, Jarrod, Marinda, Jeremy, and I walked all around every inch of the city before taking a glass-topped boat down the canal and meeting up with everyone at the big square in front of the train station.  It was such a beautiful and fun day!





Suzanne, Helen, Serena
Love them!

After high school we kept in touch via letters and sometimes emails.  (I love her letters and emails because she always signs her name with an "x" for a kiss.  Very European!)  It wasn't until we both joined FB that I received a phone call from her one Saturday on my way to a friend's for a cookout.  I was thrilled to hear her beautiful British accent!   She was as optimistic and cheerful as ever.   We have talked about planning trips to visit each other.  I would love to make that happen. 

I don't think anyone who knows Helen can say one negative thing about her.  She is simply fabulous and upbeat despite any hardship she has gone through.  She is a breath of fresh air and such a darling friend.  I'm so glad I get to call her my friend.  And I can't wait for the day when I can sit across from her and laugh with her about all the events I didn't mention...  ;)