THE TWO TAMMEY'S

This blog is a dedication to my bestest friend in all the world; Tammy.

Picture it .... February 1991, I had just turned 16, become pregnant AND got married. Adam left for the Army four days after we were married to go to basic training in South Carolina. I stayed in Indiana where I grew up - I finished school for the year and in July A finished his training and came home. July 20th, 1991, I had Jordan and two weeks later A went to our new duty station to get our apartment and things ready for me to meet him. August 16th ... I left for our new home at Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey. I was pretty petrified, I was 16, pretty much alone with a new baby. But we managed ok - things went well.

Then on an ordinary day , a day like any other we went to the mall in Eatontown. The date was October 16th and I remember it like it was yesterday. A and I were walking around in the mall looking at shops and things and suddenly a familiar face appeared in the crowd. I think I shoulted out something to the effect "IS THAT BRIAN ? BRAIN CASTLE ? BRIAN FROM SCHOOL ?"

Oh my god.. it WAS ! A and I both knew Brian as we went to school with him and he'd graduated with A then went into the Army as well. A and Brian wen't particularly close in school , but it was nice to see a familiar face .. and with him was Tammy. Hiswife. I never knew Tammy other than by Brian mentioning her - she went to North Newton a school in another town than ours so we had never met.

BUT.. this was kizmet. This was meant to be. Now you all know I am not much a people person, so I think on my part I didn't do a whole lot to make us be friends. I prolly didn't call back and talk much, but she was there - always there and we became friends. OH MY GOD.... My very first year away from home was totally the best because of her. We had SOOOOO much fun ! There was the smelly underwear incident and the hairy salad sna-fooo ... we stayed up all hours of the night and days in a row. We'd get up and go walk on the beach (as we lived right across the street from it) we'd make fools out of ourselves, we got our first tatoos together and had our first little drinks together. We talked about everything known to MAN .. ever... and still to this day, that was THE best summer EVER !

Brian was in the intelligence brigade so he was gone alot and went to Saudi for Desert Storm a few times, but about a year and a half later as the military tends to do.. they got orders to go to Hawaii. I CRIED sooo much, I begged her NOT to go, I wrote her prolly 57080352 letters and we talked everyday. Adam's job was as part of West Point - so since we were that close to NYC we stayed and accepted housing that we'd been on the list for. We ended up staying in Jersey till 1997.

Tammy had gotten pregnant in Hawaii, but became kinda ill and Brain got out of the military, they went back home to Indiana where she had her son Nicholas and then later her daughter Allison. When A got out of the military in 97 himself we also went back home. We stayed with Brain and Tammy for a bit and had somemore good times... but things were different. Brian worked at Ford now and things weren't well between them. I knew of some of this but once we were back it was more obvious. The following year they did get divorced.

That brings us to now. Tammy is a pretty smart gal, we have always remained bestest friends and um, yea - shared litterally EVERYTHING !

Above is Jim - her boyfriend for many, many of those years now. Together they own a club, a construction buisness and a cleaning buisness.

I hate when we go sometimes without talking or if ones gets to busy or phones are off.. but nomatter how long we dont talk, we always find our way back to eachother and are just where we left off.

I honestly do not know what I would do if Tammy wouldn't have come into my life. My very first year in Jersey would have been so lonely and hard .. and in the years since I would not be who I am today because of her. She lets ME be ME... she has been almost the only one ever to accept me for me, she don't care if I am fat or skinny - short or tall, she don't care about my sicknesses or some of my oddites. We can say anything to eachother and still be friends ..we can curse eachother out but in a few minutes we are hugging eachother again. She IS the sister that my sister should be .. she is MY BEST FRIEND.

I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART TAMMY.

I am so glad that on October 16th, 1991 - also your birthday - we decided to go to the mall - just on a whim. I can't imagine my life with out you ! Thank you for all your years of friendship.

 

LOVINGLY & FOREVER - TAMMIE

I'm Only Me- When I'm With You ......