In the late 90s, I was in transition and untethered. Between relationships. New job. It was a trying time, but I was fortunate to have my friend Eliza as an anchor.
We met through work, but our friendship extended beyond that. Marathon phone calls, vacations together, shopping, recipe exchanges.
One summer, our favorite radio hosts John Boy and Billy, from The Big Show, appeared at the Charleston Regatta in WV to host a concert. Eliza asked me to make posters for the event and when I grumbled, “Why me?” She quipped, “Well, you ARE the creative one…”
It became a running personal joke over the years and then in 2000, when it was time to renew my car tags, I adopted the label on a personalized license plate.
It was the same year I wrote a column, developed my first website, painted a mural, and lived up to the nickname the CREATIV1. The DMV has a limit of 8 characters, so I had to get, well, creative.
I only had the license plate on my car for a year, but have had the friendship with Eliza for 23.
Now the license plate hangs on my wall, and I know Eliza is just a phone call away.
This is the 42nd story in the Objects as Waypoints Writing Project series.