Ms. Vera

Okay, so I have a friend, a very good friend, I think. We share a lot of the same interest in music, hobbies, etc. We’ve been friends since junior high school, were roommates in college. We sang in the college chorus together and overall keep in touch on a fairly regular basis.

Well, last year we found out that Oprah Winfrey Presents The Color Purple would be playing at the Cadillac Theatre in Chicago this year.

So, we got ALL excited and said, no matter what, we were going to Chicago one weekend to see the play.

Okay, so let’s fast forward to 2007.

In March, she asked if I still wanted to go. I said yes, we should set a date and think about buying the tickets. Okay, so we agreed.

In April, we spoke about it again and decided to go see a 2pm show on May 23. I took two days off work and got a babysitter for Christian so that I wouldn’t have to rush back to the STL.

Well, around the end of April, I called her a few times about purchasing the tickets and she didn’t answer her phone.

I didn’t think anything of it, but I figured I’d better get in contact with her so that we get good tickets.

Finally, one day I called and she answered. I asked her what if she wanted me to just put the tickets on my credit card and she could give me the money when I got to Champaign (That’s where she lives. It’s between St. Louis and Chicago).

To my surprise (and disappointment), she told me that she wasn’t going to be able to go because she couldn’t afford the tickets.

For a split second, I thought about offering to pay for her ticket because I knew it was something she really wanted to do and I that I wanted to do. We wanted to go together.

Well, I decided not to offer to pay for her ticket because it wouldn’t be responsible (hey, I’ve got a 3 year old to take care of). But I was disappointed that we weren’t going. Of course, I could’ve gone by myself, but I didn’t want her to feel bad. Or when she did have the money to go, I didn’t want to leave her out and say, “Well I’ve already been.”

So, fast forward again to May 16.  I hadn’t talked to my friend in a few weeks which was a little weird. I had called once or twice since she told me that she wasn’t going, just to see how she was doing.  But this was her birthday.  I sent her an email and then thought to call her because she had probably taken the day off.  

Well, I did call her.

“Happy Birthday (insert name here)!” I chimed. She said, “oh thank you, Vera!”

I proceeded to tell her that I sent her and email but decided to call because if figured she wasn’t at work.

She replied, “Actually I’m not even in the state. You’ll never guess where I am.”

“Where?” I asked

“California.” She replied excitedly.

CALIFORNIA??  Excuse me?

“Oh, really!” my voice pitched. “Well, I won’t keep you since you’re on vacation. Have a happy birthday,” I sang. I was absolutely dumfounded!

This is one of my best friends and she didn’t have the guts to tell me that she wasn’t going to Chicago because she WAS going to California.

We were supposed to go to Chicago NEXT WEEK!

Okay, okay. If she wanted to take a trip to California, I think that’s great. But! Don’t tell me you can’t afford it and then buy a plane ticket to California.

I’m not upset that she went. I’m upset because I could have gone to see this play that I’ve been DYING to see without her!

It amazes me how cowardly some people can be. This is my girl, true blue. And All she had to do was tell me that she changed her plans and I would’ve said, “okay. That’s cool.”

But don’t let me sit around thinking you can’t afford it and I miss out on an opportunity because I don’t want to make you feel bad and go without you.

I’m just so shocked and disappointed because it was something I really wanted to do and we talked for over 9 months about going together.

I’m not mad, just feel a little hoodwinked, bamboozled, punked. – Like my girl Laura said, “Hey Ashton Kutcher, you can jump out any moment now.”

Thanks a lot. (humph)