A Lost Friendship Rediscovered at the Farmer’s Market
There is something extra special about the Thursday evening North Bend Farmer’s Market.
I am not sure if it’s the beautiful back drop of Mount Si and Rattlesnake, the well-manicured grass field and the energy of the locals chatting amongst themselves, while listening to music and watching the children playing on the playground structure. The advantage to living in North Bend proper allows for easy access to many connecting walk paths through the neighborhoods to the market.
So how does going to the market connect one to a lost friendship? The old saying, “It’s a small world”, is so true. After moving into the area, I often wondered about my friend Lisa who left Redmond when our boys were very young some 20 years ago. Five years have passed since moving my family to North Bend and not a sign of my friend, not even an accidental meeting until the last day of the market in 2018 of last year. I was speaking with my daughter about Lisa moments before I heard my name ring out near the vendors tents. “OMG! Lisa, is that really you, I was just talking about you to my daughter?” It was her, so good to see an old friend, she looks the same just older and I knew her familiar voice and laughter like it was yesterday. We embraced and she told my daughter, “I knew you as a baby and now you are all grown up”.
As you can imagine, a lot of catching up, exchange of contact information and the friendship was as easy as the last day we saw each other in Redmond. Lisa is a long-time friend; she has been well integrated into North Bend community over the last 20 years and in the Valley and created a great life for her family. Before long we were both signing up for Beginner’s Line Dancing at Si View Community center and laughing at each other as we tried to remember our steps.
We now see each other often and the lost puzzle piece, that made me wonder often of this lost friendship, was finally found. The market is extra special now and I look forward to it every Thursday evening.
