The year was 1982. I was spending the night at my friend Sophie’s house for the first time.
Sophie was pretty much an outsider at the Catholic school we attended. She had arrived in third grade and she soon became the source of cruel child pranks. I stood next to her after gym one day as she cried over her shoes. We were to change into sneakers for gym and then dress shoes for class. Someone had filled her shoes with glue. The snot and tears ran down her face and dripped into the shoes as I awkwardly patted her shoulder. “My Mom is going to kill me.” A few days later word spread that the mom had insisted that the school buy her daughter new shoes. Sophie showed up in shiny brown leather and a smile.
Her mother Terri was 23 and she had three kids: 10 year old Sophie, 3 year old Jolie, and 1 year old Amy. There was no man in sight and the whispers weren’t even hidden behind their backs as Terri roared up to the school to pick up her daughter in an old white Chevy. She emerged from the driver’s seat sleek like a cat with her perfectly feathered hair and flawless figure in skintight jeans and a tube top. She approached the playground with a baby on one hip, a child holding her other hand, a cigarette dangling from her lips and yelled at Sophie to get her ass in the car. I was instantly enthralled and decided right then and there to befriend Sophie.
My plan worked and soon I was invited over for the night.
Her house was wondrous, not in its exterior, but in its contents. Terri raised angora rabbits for show and they had the run of the house. I snuck a quick feel as they hopped by me, immediately sold on the fur as it brushed across my palm. One wall contained the largest fish tank I’d ever seen in a house and while Sophie was giving me the tour of the house she showed me the puppy’s bedroom. They had a bedroom on the main floor with puppies. I wanted to stay in that room, but outside I was led, my animal loving mind going crazy with delight. In the back there were rows and rows of metal cages with rabbits in them. I asked Sophie if these rabbits ran around inside the house too, but she shook her head no and asked me to give her a hand with the carrots. The 50 pound bags were waiting near the hutches and we slipped the carrots through the bars and checked the water levels in each bottle. Sophie told me which bunnies were pregnant and when they were due and I wanted to hold them all but she said no. I gave the pregnant bunnies extra carrots.
Back inside the house her mother waved us toward the table. I sat across from Sophie and Terri pulled a pizza from the oven, slapped it on a plate, placed it in front of me and growled, “You’d better eat the whole thing or I’m gonna beat yer ass.” My heart started beating faster and my face burned hot. Sophie had an entire pizza in front of her too. I didn’t even know that you could bake a pizza in a home oven; I thought pizza came from Shakey’s. Terri went off to the living room to watch TV. Sitting there with no utensils I did it. I ate the entire pizza. I looked up to see Sophie standing there next to my chair with a diet Pepsi in her hand. On her plate remained a large portion of her pizza. “Wow! You must have been really hungry!” I told her that her mom was going to beat my ass if I didn’t finish and she ran off laughing to tell her mom.
Terri came into the kitchen laughing at me. “You didn’t really think I’d beat your ass did ya? I was just kidding.” I wiped the sauce from my mouth onto my sleeve and stood; Terri put her arm around my shoulders and led me into the living room. Amongst the dark paneled walls and the thick veil of smoke I sat on the overstuffed couch. I don’t remember what was on TV but we sat there surrounded by the softest bunnies who would hop away as I tried to catch one after another. The puppies were let out of their room to roll and play at our feet and her two little girls played with their toys on the floor. I wanted to live there with them forever.
Comment by Shelly
April 3, 2008 @ 11:45 am
You are such an amazing storyteller and this was awesome!
Comment by Tammy
April 3, 2008 @ 11:55 am
Thanks Shelly,
I have always wanted to write my memoirs but I can only write things out of order, as it comes to me. Hence the website.
Thanks for commenting.
Tammy
Comment by Bonnie
April 4, 2008 @ 10:58 am
I read your entry, got to the end and thought “Noo! That can’t be IT!”
You have a gift for painting gloriously accurate pictures with words.
And I wanna know what happened to Sophie and Terri, pretty pleeeease?
Comment by Tammy
April 4, 2008 @ 2:00 pm
Hi Bonnie,
I was actually considering writing more about Terri and Sophie but my first draft was way too long. I’ll try to put a couple more entries about them up since you’re interested.
Comment by MichelleD
April 4, 2008 @ 5:37 pm
One of the best story of a memory ever, woman!!!! Seriously, I didn’t want it to end either.
Comment by Tammy
April 4, 2008 @ 6:04 pm
Hey MichelleD, thanks.
I haven’t had time today to write more but hopefully soon.
Lots of material in my head, can’t get it all down, and then I get frustrated with myself.
Comment by Belle
April 4, 2008 @ 10:29 pm
Looking forward to the “what ever happened to” follow-up, too. As a youngster, I had some friends who left an indelible mark on me, too, and I’ll bet they don’t even realize it.
And, how’s your back doing?
Comment by Tammy
April 5, 2008 @ 2:06 pm
Hi Belle,
My back is better than it was. Still sore and a little iffy but nothing like the worst, which is something to be thankful for. Thanks for asking.
Tammy
Comment by Hannah
April 8, 2008 @ 1:00 pm
I really enjoyed your entry. I found your site by a link from plain-jane. I’ll be bcak.
Comment by Tammy
April 8, 2008 @ 7:18 pm
Hi Hannah, it’s nice to meet you. Thank you for taking the time to read and to comment. I hope to have some new material up soon.
Tammy
Comment by misscrankypants
April 9, 2008 @ 9:46 am
Love this story!
A similar thing happened at my house w/my BFF Angela and spaghetti.
Comment by Bonnie
April 9, 2008 @ 1:18 pm
I haaaaaate when people comment on my journal bitching about me not updating and it does ANYTHING but motivate me to write an entry so I AM SORRY but I have to say it and please know it’s not in any way complaining just more of an observation and if I could I would say it in teeny, tiny letters to signify some sorta whisper……I wish you’d post more.
Comment by Tammy
April 9, 2008 @ 2:45 pm
Hi Misscrankypants, it’s good to see you here. I would love to read the story about your BFF and the spaghetti if you ever feel like writing about it.
Hi Bonnie! I know I have been horrible at updating lately. I will try very hard to get my thoughts together enough to present an entry soon. Right now I am having that racing mind/ stress/ going in a million directions but can’t seem to get any one thing finished mode.
P.S. You have a journal? May I look at it, or is it private?
Tammy
Comment by la
April 14, 2008 @ 3:33 pm
I also want to live in the puppy and bunny house.
Comment by Tammy
April 14, 2008 @ 7:04 pm
Hi LA
Yeah, I wish that house was still a refuge for me but it’s all in my head now, which is fitting really.
It’s nice to meet you.
Tammy