How was my Thanksgiving? Well, thank you so very, veeery much for askin’. How sweet of you. The sign of a real friend. Is that what we are, Matt? Friends? More than friends? Two people who share something deep? Or just two random people who happened upon each other’s lives when one of us was rolling out the plan for her final year in this town, which did not in any way, shape, or form include you!
My Thanksgiving. Well . . . I would love to sit here and say it was incredible and that my aunts and uncles and millions of cousins came in and we all cuddled on the couch and laughed about all our memories, but alas, that is just not my story, Matt.
Yeah, my aunts and uncles came and a handful of cousins, but everyone only comes because they feel like they have to and no one even likes each other. Especially my parents.
Ever since my gramma died the family has completely fallen apart, and all the “True Colors” (one of our songs, Matt, unless it’s not. Is it?) have revealed themselves. It’s like, don’t come for Thanksgiving just because you are honoring a dead woman. “But Gramma Maureen woulda wanted this.” On what planet would my gorgeous gramma have wanted her awful family to force turkey down their necks when they’d all be happier at their own houses? Life is so weird, and I feel like a pawn in it sometimes. Like life is just one big chess game, Matt. So . . . if it is a chess game . . . what’s your next move?
This is way not my style, but hey . . . I am offering you the ball, Young Man. Ball is in your court.
Write back as swiftly as you can, because depending on what you write it might just alter the course of the last weeks of 1991.
Fondly and Quite Curiously,
Tara Maureen Murphy
Dear Tara,
I hope “True Colors” is always one of our songs, no matter what happens.
I didn’t know what to expect when I started here at South High. I don’t think I expected anything, really. I had an awesome summer at my overnight camp, and a bunch of my bunkmates were gonna be starting high school too, and we just kind of didn’t really talk much about it probably because we were just having a great time at camp. So other than getting a new backpack and some new jeans, I just showed up here.
I guess I had an idea of what it was going to be like because my brother, David, went here, and so I knew about it through him.
Sorry to hear that your Thanksgiving wasn’t good. That does suck. Mine was really good. Sorry. Is that okay to tell you? Just being honest.
My brother was home and that was awesome. We hung out a lot and we talked a lot. He told me about everything that’s going on at Syracuse, and I told him about everything that’s going on here. It was pretty eye-opening. He’s a Freshman in college and I’m one in high school (well, you know that, duh), and so we actually have a ton in common right now. He said college is great because you finally get to be on your own and be who you are. I’m definitely not on my own because I live at home, but I do feel like I am who I am. David said he agrees and he thinks I’ve always been who I am because I always had focus. And he’s right, even though I never thought about it that way. I’ve always known I want to be an actor, and I’ve always pursued that and worked hard at it even if people made fun of me for it. I just don’t really care about what other people think.
I did care about what happened with your note. That made me wicked mad because it’s none of anyone’s business. Or, it shouldn’t have been anyone else’s business.
Most of my Thanksgiving break time was spent with my family, my brother, and Joy. I explained the whole thing to her, and she’s not mad. She said that the guy who is playing Marius Pontmercy in Les Misérables kissed her and she said it was no big deal. I didn’t get mad at her. We talked about it. We’re both wicked young and we’re actors, so it’s important to try things out. In a weird way I’m happy Pam Shapiro did what she did because at the end of the day (a Les Miz song) it brought me and Joy closer together. She finishes her run as Eponine in Les Misérables in February, and I think auditions for the Spring Musical are at the beginning of March, so that’s perfect timing for her.
I’m sorry I didn’t meet you at the bottom of my street to go with you to Camel Lot. I do want to know why you call it that and it would be cool to go there with you again sometime. When? I don’t know, Tara.
My brother told me to keep my eye on the prize and to stay focused on excelling. He said he wished he had an older brother who could have guided him. If he did, he would have wanted his older brother to tell him not to get involved in any high school bullshit, just pay attention to his own life, his own relationships, and getting great grades. He likes Syracuse, but he thinks if he had been guided more he might have gotten into some other schools.
I got all your messages, and they made me smile. I like being your friend, and I think our relationship as younger brother and
