when i walked in, she was sitting the way she always would, leaning back on the chair with her knees pulled up in front of her, resting on the table, swinging her keys, and laughing with that big booming laugh that is so hearty she has to throw her head back and clap her hands. when i saw her she squealed, like she always did, and said "hey baby, how are you??" i think i will miss most the way that whenever she would talk, it sounded like she was whining, but she wasnt- it was just her beautiful accent poking through. before even sitting down, i said, "lemme see" and dutifully, she held out her left hand and showed off a gorgeous ring, that was given to her by her now fiance, Julio, on Jan 23rd. it was sooo pretty and so simple. i loved it. it was so weird to see one of my closest friends engaged, but i was so happy for her. i knew how much julio meant to her, and i was so glad to hear that they were back together. she was finally happy.
i dont remember what, if anything, we really spoke about that day, but it was like old times, i didnt feel as though i was back visiting, it felt as if i was still at sju just cutting class to sit in the uc. charmaine and i quickly started whispering about lip sync and what her plans were, if anything. we giggled a little, brainstormed and then i offered to help choreograph along side charmaine and probably charlene. i was so happy to see that even though i wasnt around everyday, when i was talking to charmaine, it was as if nothing had changed.
there are so many things ill remember about charmaine... i have so many great memories of her, and i will carry those with me forever. she was a riot, she always was talking about how low her jeans were, and she wanted to find ones where her "pubes almost hang out". she was the hitler of all dance practices, charmaine not only ruled the practice floor, she also ruled the cd player. we would always get so mad at her at lip sync practice, because the slightest little mix up would cause her to shout "stop, start over". she was always so easy to talk to, and i think it was because she never cared what came out of her mouth, she would always crack perverted jokes, or make obsene comments, but thats what we loved about her. thats what i loved about her! she was also the master of head games. whenever i would get upset with a guy, usually mike at the time, shed yell at me for letting him get the best of me, and getting upset over him. shed tell me, "you have to make him realize hes wrong". id be in awe when she would have fights with guys and just hang up on them, and say forget them, i have no time for them, and then merrily act as if she didnt just get in a screaming match on the phone. she was so laid back, nothing ever really phased her. the kicker is, when she would hang up on guys, THEY WOULD ALWAYS CALL HER BACK!! atleast two more times, and shed fight a little more, then hang up on them again. i was always in shock, i could never figure it out.
i remember so vividly, in the fall of 2002, we were having a bid day dinner at an alumni's house. when the dinner was over, everyone started complaining, because as goes all other theta events, there werent enough cars to bring the dorming students back to SJU. everyone else was carpooling back to one ghetto or another.. just kidding.. but the car back going back to sju was packed. somehow, someone told charmaine i was in heloise's car waiting to go back to school. as were all piling in and whining, and the occasional "ouch!" was said, charmaine comes flying out of tara's house, and tears across the front lawn and begins dragging me out of heloise's car..literally! "ooohh no, youre not leaving, youre staying here with me!" i begged for a little to let me go back to school, but she wouldnt have it, she unbuckled my seat belt, and picked me right out of the car. "thank you anyway heloise" she said, i waved- and got yanked inside.. i had the best time! charmaine kept saying to me "thank you for staying, you are so much fun, you had to stay". charmaine and i had such a great time, playing catch up, and trying to keep up- with mandys drinking. we had a ride home, dont worry. and charmaine made sure i got home ok. and then we hung out again the next day, at amys haunted house (no joke)... and watched movies, and even danced around a little..
charmaine did so much for me, she taught me the cha-cha, which i dont remember.. she would always tell me, when she became famous, i was going to be her back up dancer. she always complimented my dancing ability, and even gave me "important roles" for lip sync. she made me fred for a day... she taught me the strange joy of peanut butter on animal crackers with wine coolers. i will miss her laugh, i will miss the way she would push her glasses up her nose with just her middle finger.. no, not in a bad way..(all of her fingers would be up, but only the middle finger would touch her glasses). ill miss the way her long curly hair would suffocate you whenever you went to hug her. ill miss the way she would flip her hair, and then lean over the UC table whenever she had something important to say. i will miss the sway she had in her walk, and how she had this huge key chain with an elastic coil so she could a- swing them, b- wear it like a bracelet or c- bounce the keys like a slinky. i will miss all the sig ep boys coming to our table to get doctor notes from charmaine.. and charmaine diagnosing people with a heart murmur, or scheduling them for EKGs.. she was so much fun. i love her and i will miss her dearly.
