Charley was this super glamorous chick at work in the HR department. Oval face, big eyes, full lips – pretty as hell, and one of those girls who seem to glide around rather than walk. You know what I mean right?
I remember she had impossibly shiny hair too, all swishy. She was so effortlessly chic gliding around in her big sunglasses, lip gloss and all-black ensemble, I honestly thought she was Italian or something until I got to know her.
I soon discovered she was yellow-belly-Lincoln and down to earth as they come. She became one of my favourite friends at work, and I was excited when we got to sit opposite each other because we had SUCH A LAUGH. Everyone’s got that friend at work that they can have a massive laugh with, but also a moan and whinge to, right? Work BFF. They are necessary. No one outside work understands quite like someone who’s at work. As much as your family might try to listen, they don’t really understand Barbara’s* annoying habit of talking about how she has done EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE, ONLY BETTER.
If ever I got a bit pissed off, or needed to sound off, I’d chat to Charley and she’d nod, join in or bitch in the right places. We wore wigs to work, threw chocolates all over the office, made up silly songs, drank way too many shots at the Christmas parties and stayed out way too late. She was the life of the party and her antics had me in stitches constantly. Sledging down Steep Hill without snow? That was Charley. Trying a somersault on a dancefloor at a wedding and breaking your back? Yep. (That one was only funny once we knew she was OK, although I was gutted it meant she had two weeks off work. No work BFF for two whole weeks. GAAAAHHHHHHHH.)
When I left my husband she was really there for me. I mean really. The poor girl was one of a few who got my verbal diarrhoea as years of not talking about myself or my relationship all poured out. I went round to her house probably way too much. I totally hijacked her life. She was heavily pregnant at the time, but always there with tea, chocolate digestives and time. I really, honestly, truly don’t know what I’d have done without her.
I really miss our chats.
I asked Charley for a photo to use on this post – this is what she wanted, as apparently it’s her favourite photo of us. Hmmm.
*Entirely fictional
The Paps Life 