Sue and Tom (12 page)

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Brad (Yearbook post)

Sue, to a hot chick that I would have liked to have gotten to know better. Take care of yourself.

Brad

Gina’s right. Brad always thought he was God’s gift to women. I about died when I saw him at our 20th year reunion. His bald head looked like a pig’s ass without the crack. And his gut hung over his belt. Definitely not one of the guys who got better looking with age. Karma sucks. That’s all I gotta say. Serves him right for being such a jerk to every girl he ever dated.

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Karen (Yearbook post)

Sue, to a really flipped-out chick that I met in eighth grade. Remember all the fun we had in gym class and take care of that special someone. Keep your personality and good looks and you’ll go far.

Love, Karen 

Karen was an amazing athlete. Most of us thought for sure she’d go to college and become a gym teacher. She ended up getting pregnant our senior year. She married the guy but it didn’t last. She and her daughter, Sarah, lived with her parents. They helped raise Sarah while Karen worked her way through school, first earning a marketing degree and later an MBA. Karen met Mia, her partner, while studying for her MBA.

They make a great couple. And they have the most adorable little boy. Karen got pregnant, using Mia’s egg and donor sperm. He looks just like Mia, same almond-shaped eyes and shiny black hair.

It was great to reconnect with Karen and Mia at our high school reunion. I think Karen felt good that we all accepted Mia and that her being gay was no big deal.

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Tom (Yearbook post)

Sue, to a really nice and good looking girl I met in seventh grade earth science class. I hope to see you around this summer. Good luck in college and take care of yourself.

AFA, Tom

Even today Tom still brings up that earth science class and how he did most of the worm dissection. I’m not going to deny it. Dissecting a worm totally grossed me out. Just thinking about it makes me want to barf—even today. It never surprised me that he excelled in the sciences. I wasn’t surprised when he went to college to become a pharmacist, especially because he loved chemistry so much.

Mom was cleaning out her basement a few years ago and came across a box filled with old school notebooks. There was a yellow spiral notebook with Earth Science written in black marker on the front. I paged through it and couldn’t help but smile at the drawings I had made of the different parts of the worm. Gosh, the worm sketches took me back. I swear I could smell the formaldehyde, that’s how vivid the memories were.

I can’t believe that Tom and I got together. I always thought he was a great guy. Maybe a little on the nerdy side. But not nerdy nerdy. More like cool nerdy.

And, unlike Brad, Tom definitely got better looking with age. Not that he was ever bad looking; he wasn’t. He was definitely above average, especially with his cute dimples. That sort of put him over the top. But today, whoa. Let’s just say I’m glad he’s mine and I don’t plan on giving him up. Talk about chemistry, we got it!

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Diane (Yearbook post)

Sue,

Years from now when you clean out your closet and find this yearbook, I hope you open it up and remember me and all the fun we had. Thanks for being such a great friend. I’ll miss marching band and the crazy bus rides home from the parades. We sure had some wild times! Thanks for always listening to me and giving me good advice. I hope we keep in touch and that you get everything you want.

Love, Diane

I haven’t thought about marching band or the bus rides home from parades in a long time. Diane’s right. We had some really crazy times. Once, we sneaked vodka in a water bottle onto the bus and passed it around on the ride home. Because we were seniors, we always got the back seats. By the time we got back to the school, we were all feeling a little buzzed—and a lot sick.

I played the flute and Diane played the tuba. I stunk. I never practiced. Diane, on the other hand, was really good. She became a music teacher at our high school and replaced the band director we had. I bet Diane never lets the kids get away with the stuff we got away with.

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Cookie (Yearbook post)

Sue, to one of my good friends who’s one of the best cheerleaders at our school—and a great gymnast. Wish I could handle those uneven bars like you. I look like a flying hippo! Thanks for always being there for me when I needed someone to talk to. Remember all the fun we had at Jeremy’s and stay cool and keep in touch.

Love, Cookie

One word. Hilarious. That’s what Cookie is and always has been. I could be having the crappiest day and feel like crying and Cookie would say something and make me double over laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. Like bright sunshine on an overcast day, she can burn away the gray and douse you in warmth in seconds. She’s one of those people that you totally enjoy being around. I wish I had her sense of humor and her ability to make others laugh at the most stupid, everyday stuff. What a gift.

I love that she always does her own thing and never cares what others think. In high school, she went through some pretty wild clothing phases. Some of the girls made fun of her, but I thought it was great that she did her own thing. Personally, I wouldn’t have been caught dead in some of the outfits she wore, but I admired her for having the guts to dress differently and the strength to stand on her own. I don’t know too many people who embrace their silly side and aren’t afraid of being goofy. I’m glad we’ve kept in touch over the years.

She had a crappy first marriage but she seems happy in her second marriage and I’m happy that she’s happy. Funny, though, her twin girls aren’t anything like her. They’re tall and thin and gorgeous—and definitely conformists. Maybe that’s a good thing, though. Three Cookies might have been a bit too much.

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Margaret (Yearbook post)

Sue, I’m really glad I got to know you even better this year. Don’t forget all the fun we had in cheerleading. You have more energy than anyone I know. Just watching you makes me tired. You have a lot going for you and I wish you much happiness.

Luv ya, Maggie

Maggie isn’t married—yet. I think she was too busy pursuing her career. She’s a very successful businesswoman, having climbed her way up Dye Works Inc. where she is now general manager and vice president.

One of the things I love most about Maggie is that she gives back. Despite her success and wealth, she’s never forgotten where she came from and how hard it was climbing to the top.

She’s never liked the limelight, so I’m sure all of the photos in the newspaper of her giving oversized checks to charities make her uncomfortable.

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Ellen (Yearbook post)

Tig,

To a very special friend who always seems to be there just in case someone needs her. You are a super person and I hope we stay close. Never forget senior hook-off day and how we almost got caught swimming in the quarry. Stay the way you are (your sweetness, personality and looks) and you will go far. I hope things work out with you and Ron. You make a great couple.

Love, El

Ellen was always a lot of fun. And she was a great cook. She went to culinary school and became a chef. She loved baking and was forever trying new recipes.

Whenever it was one of our birthdays, Ellen would make a special treat and bring it to school and we’d have it at lunch. It was such a sweet thing to do and something we all looked forward to. Ellen made these killer brownies with chocolate chips in them. They were so moist and whenever it was my birthday, she made them because she knew how much I loved them. One year for Christmas, I bought a plain white apron and had all of the girls sign it using fabric markers. When she opened the apron, Ellen cried. I wonder if she still has that apron?

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Becky (Yearbook post)

Sue,

To a great friend who’s always on the go. You definitely are just like Tigger. (Smiles) Thank you for always listening to me. I really appreciate all you’ve done for me this past year. I will miss you when I go into the Air Force. I hope we keep in touch and that years from now we can laugh about all of the crazy things we did. Keep that special smile and that way of making others feel important.

A.V.G.F.A.

Love, Becky

I wish I would have kept in touch with Becky. After she went into the Air Force and I went to college, we drifted apart. Sad when you think about it. We had been friends for a long time. In fact, Becky was the one who introduced me to Spin the Bottle. We played it once in her garage and her mom caught us, but not before I got a kiss from Kurt Wallace. It was an okay kiss. It would have been better if his breath wasn’t so stinky. He smelled like my grandpa does after he eats raw garlic.

Kurt moved the following year and we were all glad he wasn’t around to play Spin the Bottle because nobody wanted to kiss him. I wonder whatever became of Kurt, and if he still has the stinky breath.

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Gina (Yearbook post)

Sues, To my best friend in the whole wide world. God, we’ve been through so much together. I don’t know what I’d do without you. Remember all the fun we had cheering over the years and the bus rides home from games. (Remember the time Brad mooned a cop from the bus window?) Thanks for always being there for me and for always telling me the truth, even when I didn’t want to hear it. I hope that we stay sisters forever! Promise me that when we go away to college, things won’t change. I’m always here if you need to talk and I hope that you and Ron last a long time.

Love you always, Gina

Gina. My best friend, killer ass attorney, godmother to my child, and all-around fabulous person. I don’t know what I would have done without Gina. Not only did she help me when I found my husband screwing our neighbor, but she’s been a wonderful aunt to Chloe. I’m so excited that she’s moving home and that after all these years, she’s reunited with the love of her life. YAY!

As for Ron, by now you know that it didn’t work out. Chloe picked up my yearbook the other day and was reading what everyone wrote. She asked me about Ron. And about the “crazy and wild” bus rides home from parades and games. And about senior hook-off day. I would have preferred that she hadn’t read that! God, I really am becoming my mother!

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Jeremy (Yearbook post)

Sue, to a really cool girl who is a lot of fun to be around. Remember the good times we had and the wild parties. Take care of yourself and good luck in college.

Love, Bean

Jeremy sure knew how to throw a party. And he’s right, they were wild. After high school, Jeremy went to college in the Midwest where he played basketball. He married a girl he met in dental school and joined his dad’s dental practice. His best friend is Mike, Gina’s boyfriend.

Jeremy is still as goofy as ever and he still has wild parties. In fact, he lives in the house he grew up in. When his parents downsized, Jeremy bought it. Jeremy’s dad used to be my dentist, but after he retired I found another dentist. I used the excuse that I wanted to go to a dentist close to my work. The truth was that the thought of Jeremy digging around in my mouth made me gag a little. I’m sure he’s a great dentist. It’s just that I can’t get certain images out of my mind. Sort of how I can’t eat venison because I see Bambi every time I take a bite. What can I say? I’m weird, I know.

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Mike (Yearbook post)

Tigger, to one of the best girls in our senior class. Thanks for being such a good friend to Gina and me. I’ll never forget all of the double dates we went on and the crazy things we did. Take care of yourself and I know you won’t let any guy push you around.

Later, Mike

I’ve always adored Mike and was so upset when Gina broke up with him our senior year. Of course, now I know why and it all makes sense. But back then, not so much. They were always great together—the couple everyone voted the most likely to marry.

I wish Gina would have told me about the rape. I can’t help but think how different things could have been. Mike was devastated when she broke up with him out of the blue. I’ve never seen a guy so torn up over a girl. I used to think how great it would be if someone loved me even half as much as Mike loved Gina.