Happy Birthday To My Numero Uno Amiga!!

I have a friend and her name is Ana Banana...
Well, actually her name is Ana Maria Pico Royball...
She lives far away and I miss her like CRAZY!

I have known Ana Banana for over 23 years...and I believe it was 22 years ago when she became my Numero Uno Amiga! She taught me spanish...she taught me all the BAD words in spanish too!! I have forgotten my spanish, but I have not forgotten the bad words. Hmmm...guess she taught me those too well!

Ana Banana and I had alot of really fun times...

Here you can see we doubled to our prom. I was QUEEN...She was NOT. HAHAHAHAHAHA!! Oh, wait, I am sorry...let me rephrase that...My boyfriend and I were prom king and queen. Ana Banana and Brian were there to support and cheer and be the best friends they could be! Ana and Brian did not have the best prom, but I am still glad we went together cause I had my bestie at the prom and Jason had his bestie at the prom. Could it be any better than that?! A memory I will never forget...me and Ana...BFF's. Well, it was 1989...so guess there weren't "BFF's" back then. That is 2010 terminology.  But we were once called "Those Bi@#@*!" by a fellow baton twirler when we hid from her. We thought we were so funny! Obviously, she didn't think our joke was so funny. When we heard her utter those words, we didn't know if we should come out of hiding or not. We chose the latter! We were not very brave!  Yes, Ana Banana and I were baton twirlers.  I taught her how to twirl the baton.  One time during one of our practices...Ana threw up her baton really high.  About 2 seconds before it hit my head she yelled, "Ei Dios Jimi!  Look out!"  Ya, a little too late you nutcase!  I think I still  have an indent on my head.

Here is a picture of Ana Banana and I on our last night in Arizona together. Two wild and crazy white/mexican girls out on the town. We went to Dairy Queen. Ate our last Ana Banana Split at the Vista Park....that is until the female police officer came up and told us we had to leave. We were obviously intoxicated with CALCIUM and Banana's and Strawberries...OOOOHHHHH!! "Bad Girls Bad Girls...What Cha Gonna Do? What Cha Gonna Do When They Come For YOU!!" We then laughed. And laughed. And laughed some more. Then we headed up to Old Bisbee...drove through the streets asking innocent bystanders, "Pardon Me...but do you have any Grey Poupon?", in our best french accents. Nobody had any Grey Poupon. It was Old Bisbee after all!

Ya, I suppose a couple of old chaps like these fine fellows

would not have any Grey Poupon!

The local spots in town...well, we were always too chicken to go to the parties on the outskirts of town. My dad was a border patrolman there, and I knew all of the law enforcement in town. What on earth would they say if they knew if I was at one of those drunkin' stuper parties out at the rifle range?! And poor Ana Banana....she was just as scared as me. But we were rather rebellious from time to time...bet all you Bisbee partiers did not know that Ana Banana and I ventured out to the rifle range a time or two...only to get all of you in sight and...and..and...CALL THE POLICE! Ok, not really! We did not call the police you silly people! We sat there saying to each other..."Should we go?" "Yes!" "No!" "Lets Go!" "No!" "We will stay for 5 minutes!" "NONONO....someone is coming! Lets get out of here!!" I then hit a pot hole, got stuck, and I don't remember if I got a flat tire or not...but I remember the panic that you all would be saying, "Why on earth are you here?!" But truth be known you were each our friends and would have welcomed us with open arms (And Open Beers)! But we were too afraid of getting caught!
So, once again we would laugh and laugh and laugh...and drive away...

Oh the memories...so long ago. But I am so glad I had my Ana Banana. I loved her and she loved me. I think she is the only friend who has ever called me at midnight, when I moved away, crying her eyes out saying, "Please Jimi, don't move away. I will miss you so much!"
My numero uno Amiga was going to miss me...and I believed her. Cause I was going to miss her too.
I have never found another Ana Banana.
I am not sure anyone has ever missed me so very much.
That is how I know my Ana Banana was the best Ana Banana out there!
I have found lots of amazing friends, and some I love to laugh with just as much.
But Ana Banana will always be my Ana Banana.
Even when we don't talk so much, or even though she NEVER WRITES ME LETTERS...or, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NOT GOTTEN A PICTURE OF HER DAUGHTER IN ABOUT 7 YEARS....I still love my Ana Banana....
and in the lingo of 2011:
2 My Numero Uno Amiga...U R My BMFF (best mexican friend forever)...

I will never ever forget our special times together. I went back for you wedding in 1997, and that was the last time I saw you. I miss you! One of these days I will make it back to Bisbee and You and Me sistah are going to the Dairy Queen...Ana Banana Splits all around!
I hope you have a FABULOUS 29th Birthday!
Feliz Cumplianos Mi Amiga...
I hope it is your best yet!!

Oh, and by the way...I got your email...thankyou for getting the info for me!  Will call you soon!! :)