Code Words: Why Everyone Needs One

 My best friend and I like to think we are intelligent beautiful women, and due to our intelligence and beauty we have attracted an array of partners over the years. During college, it was easy to keep track of each other because we were on a small campus of about 3,000 students and everyone knew everybody's business and then some. Upon graduating we found ourselves back in our home towns/cities, miles away from each other, unable to really keep an eye out  during weekend bar hopping, happy hours and dates with the guy from work you know you shouldn't get involved with.

Initially we were really good about texting each other before venturing out for the evening. The conversations went something  like this

 me: hey what are you doing tonight?

her: going on a date with this guy I met.

me: what his name, first & last? where does he lives? does he have a Facebook? send me a picture? (and any other information she had gained that I needed to know)

Now, some of you may already do this (and if you don't you should). Maybe it is our paranoia that people in the world are crazy and one of us will get kidnapped one day, or both of us growing up as only children who now had someone to watch out for us. Whatever it may be, it was important that we kept each other safe and in an unfortunate incident would have answers as to where we were and who we were with. 

To take this a step further, I believe every person (no matter your gender or relationship status) should have a code word. If you need to make a phone call, send a quick text, even send a Facebook message to notify someone that you might not be in the safest situation. How would you do that without the person you are with knowing?

Now as we have gotten older and even further apart (distance-wise), my best friend and I have not been doing the best job in looking out for each other. She has never met my partner and I have no idea who she has been seeing but it is something that we will be getting back to soon enough. 

With the many instances of domestic violence, kidnapping, and assault in the news, its important to have someone, anyone who will know when you say, type, text "--insert word here--" it means... I'm in danger and I need help.

If you don't have anyone, I'll be your person (cough*cough* Grey's Anatomy anyone!?)