We met the week I moved into Cher's neighborhood in Lawndale, California.  Cher was roller skating down the sidewalk and my father called her in and introduced us.  From that time on, we were the best of friends.

There were times our parents regretted this.  My father had to go to the school and make sure we didn't have the same classroom, because he was sure we'd talk all day and learn nothing.  Even though my hair was shorter than Cher's, we pestered her mother until she gave us identical French braids.  My mother made us identical shifts to wear.  We joined Brownies together, went swimming together.

Through the years, I moved to Harbor City, Cher got married and moved to Michigan and had her first child.  My father died.  Cher and her family moved back to Lawndale. I had my first child and she had her second.  She has had two marriages and three sons.  She has just married a great guy named Russ and she has her first granddaughter, Ashley.  I have four children and two granddaughters, Jasmine and Marquesha.  I am married to my second husband.

From the beginning, we made up songs and poems together.  I recall one night in particular.  My parents were visiting at Cher's, and we were out on the sidewalk together, singing songs to the moon.  I'd heard somewhere that the correct name for the moon was 'Luna', so we spun ode after ode to Her.