Lisa and Tammy

Last night, needing to run some errands anyway, my wife and I decided to grab food while we were out. Craving barbecue ribs, from a local joint, we found ourselves sitting at a table, in the bar, behind these two ladies, just passing through town. That’s how we met…

LISA and TAMMY

Tammy slowly took in the peeling paint on the walls, the dirty windows, and the compressed mattress, that looked like it had been used for at least a couple decades. “This is so amazing!” Tammy exclaimed, taking in her new dorm room, with wide eyes. Her dad, had wanted her to go to a more prestigious school, like he did, but this was exactly what she wanted. The schools like her fathers had too many stuck up snobs, and she wanted to be able to hang out and have fun, with some studying thrown in, of course. With no roommate in sight, she picked a side of the room, and immediately started unpacking.
Lisa walked into the room, and almost turned and walked out again. It looked like a rock video had exploded all over her new room. Well, at least half of it. She looked at the little blond, sitting on the tie-dyed comforter of her bed, surrounded by posters of rock stars on every visible wall space. This is going to be a long year, she thought to herself.
Initially, the only time Lisa spent in her dorm room, was when she had to sleep. The remaining time, was spent in the common room or the library, trying to avoid her loud, extroverted roommate. Lisa, while being a timid only child, began to warm up to her counterpart, realizing that despite their differences, Tammy was a good friend to have. It also helped, that they were both taking the several of the same classes, and what better person to pick for group projects, but one that has to spend time with you anyway. Most evenings, they found themselves, on one of their beds, huddled over a text book, putting together a paper or presentation.
It was on one of these nights, huddled over a biology book, working on the bones of the body, that Tammy suddenly found Lisa’s lips, pressed gently to her own. With wide eyes, she looked up at her friend, only to find her own look of surprise mirrored on Lisa’s face. “I’m…I’m so sorry!” exclaimed Lisa, as she jumped up, running from the room. Tammy just sat there, still wearing the same shocked expression.
It wasn’t until she returned from classes, the following day, that Tammy found Lisa, just sitting on her bed, hugging her knees, looking up as she entered, with her tear streaked face. The door slowly closing behind her, Tammy went over to the bed, to discuss the events from the prior night, with her friend and roommate. By the end, the roommates were able to work through the events of the prior evening, cementing their friendship, and limiting it to just that. They were able to joke and laugh again, by the time they made their way across campus, for another less than spectacular cafeteria dinner.
They went through the rest of their years, at school, as roommates. Moving out of the dorms, their senior year, and into a small two-bedroom apartment, their senior year. This is where Tammy met Brian. Brian and his roommate were throwing one of those parties, where the front door remains open all night, and whoever wanders in, is welcome, and they can wander back out, whenever they like. Tammy found herself, standing next to a beer bottle filled table, captivated by his deep brown eyes, and charming smile, unable to break away from their conversation.
Four years later, Lisa stood at her side, in a fluffy pink dress, with a hideous bow on the side, while Tammy recited her vows, once again, unable to break her gaze from those pools of brown. Shortly thereafter, Tammy was able to repay the favor, watching in a simple navy dress, as Lisa spoke the words to Tori, a cute little redhead that she had the luck of bumping into, waiting to speak to the next teller at their shared bank.
The families took vacations together, when they were able to, and when it wasn’t possible, Lisa and Tammy would go, taking long weekends to visit old classmates, or local places, that they had heard about, but hadn’t been able to try yet.
It only took Tammy another twenty years, to realize that she wasn’t entirely happy, and to know when she was truly at her happiest. It was another ten years, before she set Brian free, to discover a life that he deserved, and a wife that didn’t regret a single moment in her life, when she chose the wrong path to happiness.
Tammy cherishes the trips that she goes on, and the time that she gets to spend with her best friend. She never vocalizes her feelings, even though she knows that Lisa understands. There is nothing that she would ever do, to drive a wedge between Lisa and Tori, wishing that she knew what it felt like, to be in the relationship, that you were meant to have.