A good chunk of my childhood and teenage years was spent at ice skating rinks all across New England. Though I wasn’t ever terribly good at it, I found precision skating (now called synchronized skating) in 5th grade and continued with it every year through my senior year of high school. I spent the bulk of my skating career at the club near my hometown, but in the later years due varying factors I bounced around from team to team. My junior year I joined the Haydenettes and quickly became friends with Becky Busa. (Don’t bother looking for me in that program, like I said I wasn’t great at skating and spent most of my time as an alternate. I’m at the very end of the line while getting the scores. You can see me (a) forget to turn around and (b) get way too excited about a bunch of 5.8s. Anyone else miss the old scores?)
Busa and I stayed close in the following years, frequenting Dave Matthews Band concerts, crashing at each other’s dorms and even spending 2004 as roommates. When she moved out West for good we would only see each other for quick visits when she would come back East, but she is one of those great friends who is AMAZING about staying in touch. When the prospect of moving to Denver first came up she was the first person I thought of, realizing we would be within visiting range. (Well, you know 500 miles, but still.)
When she realized she had a chunk of time off this past week she got in her car in Jackson Hole and drove to Denver. She pulled in Sunday night with Wyoming books & t-shirts for all of us, and a new scarf for me. She had also bought me a new blue wig reminiscent of one we had worn in some old photos. Though I had to work, we spent the next few days laughing at old stories, catching up on old teammates, watching some favorite movies & TV shows. (Anyone remember The State from MTV?)
She seriously rolled up her sleeves and jumped right in. She made us some amazing meals.
Apple cider chicken with sauteed onions & apples and carrots & broccoli. YUM
She played with Munchie and got silly with her.
She texted me photos while I was at work.
Ok, Becky, I admit it – this grumpy face really does look like me
We went to Trader Joe’s together, where we got up to pay and the cashiers were more than willing to split our one cart into two transactions. One of them was from Cohasset -of course she was!
How you know you have an addiction. Do they call it cookie butter because it’s made from cookies, or because it’s so delicious when you spread it ON cookies? These are the mysteries that really get to me.
On Friday morning after we said our goodbyes and Busa hit the road back to Wyoming, I was doing ok until I found the bag full of treats with the sweet card she left for us, thanking US for letting her crash and welcoming her as part of the family. Just as I was starting to tear up I got a Lync message from a work colleague back home also named Becky.
Becky works in Fall River at the call center, and we have worked closely on a number of projects over the years. She asked me if I was able to FaceTime and could I call her in 3 minutes. I panicked because I was working from home and looked like crap, but I quickly threw on a hat and pulled up FaceTime on the ipad. When I called the reception wasn’t great, but I could make out some pink tablecloths and I thought I could see my former boss, Janette.
Janette and Becky
Seconds after the connection died, Janette called and informed me that my team back at my old hotel was down at the call center to put on a Breast Cancer Awareness Bake Sale.
I used to work with these fools. Now they are spreading the pink awareness. Except for Godfrey, I guess he’s too man for pink.
Then she let me know that all of the proceeds of this bake sale would go to support my medical expenses. HOLY SHIT. If I wasn’t bawling before I sure as heck was now. She went on to say that my friend Michele in sales at the Boston metro market (a Colorado native who visited me and brought me coffee and some laughs last month) had worked with those folks, and a lot of them had baked goodies for the sale. People I hadn’t seen or talked to since moving to Denver stepped it up and showed their support.
A lot of faces in this picture. Some I saw this year, some I haven’t seen in a LONG time, some I don’t even know, but to all of them I say THANK YOU.
All day Friday I got more pictures, more texts, and donations from people I’m not sure I’ve even met started pouring in to my Go Fund Me. To all of you back on the East coast who had anything to do with this event, I owe you a million Thank Yous and a ton of gratitude. I have so much so much love for all of you. And I’m gonna come right out and say it, the Fall River CCC is the best one in the whole damn company! (Sorry, Wichita.)
I’ve got some pretty amazing friends out there. And I think this card Busa left me pretty much sums it up.
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