Hey Hey You You

Picture Above (Maureen, Vanessa, Kathryn, and Jamie)

I (Vanessa) met Jamie in the few months that she was living with her brother Doug in 2007. I immediately knew she was not only someone I could talk to, but someone I could be let my guard down with. One night Doug and I decided to show her a music video of a fun song that we thought she would like. We played “Girlfriend” by Avril Lavigne to her. We immediately all started dancing like crazy- doing charlestons and getting completely lost in the song. We played it over and over again…and danced over and over again. Anytime we wanted to be silly, we would put that music video on again, turn it up real loud, and dance like there was no tomorrow. Kathryn came to visit some time later, and we played it for her. She also danced with us. It became something we just would do– blast this silly song and dance. We did it again with Doug’s mom. And we did it again at Jamie’s wedding.

It is not that we were particularly fond of the words or it had special meaning to us, it was just something that we knew when it was being played loudly, we could lose control and dance without a care in the world.

I never felt like I had to be intimidated by Doug’s older sister. She took me in and accepted me from the beginning. I never thought I couldn’t be myself in front of her. Because at the end of the day, I knew that when I wanted to be silly and goofy, Jamie would be the first to stand up and be goofy with me. I of course think of her every time I hear that song. And I will forever miss acting foolish with my big sister who could dance like nobody’s watching in front of anyone. Sometimes you just gotta dance.

– Vanessa O’Brien