Take Care of You

Once upon a time, my freshmen year of college, I lived across the hall from a girl named Tia. Tia introduced me to tanning beds (my forehead wrinkles thank you) and I used to sit in the chair by her window and eat her Cheeze-its (I gained the freshman 40) while we chatted. Despite this, Tia and I became really good friends. Sophomore year we moved to a new dorm but still lived across the hall from each other.

Junior and Senior year we lived in the same apartment building on campus. The summer after we graduated, I asked Tia if she wanted to interview for a job at my office and move into a room at the house I was renting with some friends. She did! Tia enrolled in a grad program and I followed the next year. Next we moved into an apartment together. Eventually this summer we moved across town into our own places . . . in the same building.

So, Tia has been my roommate, coworker, class-mate, and best friend. For the past 8 years we have gone on vacations

sang along at concerts

celebrated birthdays

partied for holidays

hung out with celebrities

and jumped for joy- together.

Eventually we got to that point in our friendship where saying goodbye on the phone took about 15 minutes. It went something like this “Ok well let me know how the staff meeting goes. . . good luck on your presentation . . .I’ll keep you updated on dinner plans . . . Oh, a package arrived for you today . . . Omg, did you see what she posted on Facebook? Wait, when are you getting home? Ok, I love you. Alright, I’ll talk to you soon. Oh wait a second, did I tell you about that email?” You get the point.

We decided that we needed a standard phone sign-off. And of course we drew inspiration from a movie. You know one of those meaningful friendships from a classic film.

Of course I’m talking about Vivian Ward and Kit De Luca from Pretty Woman. Two girls with similar jobs who share an apartment together- that’s us! A few minor differences. For about six months we would end conversations with “Take care of you”, just like Vivian and Kit. We agreed this summed up everything we wanted to say in a goodbye. Start watching at 2:10 for the last "take care of you" in the movie.

Since freshmen year, Tia has talked about going back to her hometown. Whether it was to see her family and boyfriend for a weekend, start a grad program for a few years, or take a new job, permanently. I have spent 8 years begging Tia to stay in town so I could drag her to a fraternity party (where all of the guys asked me who my hot blond friend was), or go the movies and buy candy at Target, or get takeout in our pajamas, or lay by the pool and share magazines, or work and live next to me every single day. In was a long hard battle but in the end I lost because Tia is moving this week. Of course, I could say that I won because look at all we’ve done!

And we finally got our hair under control- really a win-win overall.

T, I can’t even imagine trying to summarize all of the laughs, tears, late nights (for you) early mornings (for me), fights (just that one on the way to the office retreat!) and pure fun we’ve had. Nothing could sum up all I would want to say this goodbye. So, I’ll just say . . . take care of you.