Dry Season

When most people mention a "friend with benefits," they're talking about no-strings nookie. I've had several such amigos, and it can be a great arrangement. But some friends offer benefits that are just as fun and don't leave a wet spot.

When I met Caroline back in college, she came with an added bonus: her mother. One of the most delightful people I've known, Claudette is warm, hilarious, and irrepressible. She's a born mom, and with my own mother hundreds of miles away, she took me under her wing. Her house was always open for getaways - even after we left a video under a couch, where it was found after many days and a whopping late fee. And when the weather turned especially cold one year, Claudette appeared at the dorm with flannel sheets for a bunch of us. More than 20 years later, she remains a dear friend, ever supportive. She even outfits the Jackals, my Walk to Defeat ALS team.

As important as Claudette makes me feel, I am only a drop in an ocean of beneficiaries. So renowned is her largesse that last month, when she exchanged one holiday tradition for another, it made the newspaper.