They met at a party in 1979. Got into a conversation that had never really ended. There was great comfort in it. They had been very different then. Mona fat and loud with aggressively bad teeth. Cecily small and self effacing...People called them Gertrude and Alice and neither of them minded much.
They were welcome everywhere. Such good company. They were bright, they were funny, they were intelligent. Their contrasting appearance and personalities were a spice delightful to the spiceless.
After the first few years of their relationship Cecily began to realize that her timidity was an irritant to Mona. Not that she said much. It was just a feeling Cecily had that her gutlessness was a small but permanent disappointment. And she began, very quietly to change. To speak out, tart and quiet, when she felt strongly. The pleased surprise on Mona's face encouraged her.
Then Mona got to thinking that her own coarseness was a pretty ugly thing for a sensitive soul like Cecily to live with. So she got her teeth fixed and lost a little weight and tried not to blow off with the first response that came into her head.
And Cecily and Mona slowly approached the norm from their different extremes and as they gradually became blander their circle of friends became smaller.
``Really they have become quite dull,'' it was said, and the search was on for another fourth couple for dinner at seven.
``Damn, we got ordinary,'' said Mona.
``Who the hell cares?'' said Cecily.