Do You Remember Your First Friend?

My very first friend was Patsy B. Her parents, Warren and Jake, were good friends with my parents, Al and Camille. Warren and Al worked together. Later in life, Camille and Jake worked together. Patsy and I played. We would compare Christmas presents. We would "sleep over." When we were at her house, she would ask me if "I wanted the rubber piddle or the feather piddle." I never knew how to answer that. Although we rarely see each other anymore, I hold very fond thoughts of Patsy, now Pat, and hope her life is all she hoped.

France was America's first friend. During the War of Independence, France was the first country to be on America's side. According to the US State Department web site,

"The single most important success of American diplomacy during the War for Independence was the critical link forged with France. The first and only alliance established by America until the 20th century, this partnership was built in good part by the efforts of the French Foreign Minister, Comte de Vergennes, and Benjamin Franklin...After the signing of treaties of alliance and commerce between America and France on February 6, 1778, King Louis XVI opened his considerable coffers in support of the American cause."

At the end of the war, France brokered the peace. The Treaty of Paris, in 1783, forced Britain to recognize the United States of America and to end all agression toward her.

This is one really good reason to love the French. They were our very first friends.

In the illustration of the Treaty of Paris here, created by the studio of Benjamin West, you see the American patriots who signed the Treaty of Paris: Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson. The right side of the illustration is unfinished, because the British diplomats refused to sit for the portrait. This remains a powerful illustration of the split between the British and their former subjects.

Gid Bless America. Vive la France. I'm going to have a glass of wine and some goat cheese.