Oh boy, the bigger they are, the dopier they come. -Gidget, 1959.

This quote reminds me of you, Gidg. I got a message from my old friend, Rhonda, tonight telling me that our friend Tonya, although she will always be Gidget to me, had passed away. I thought that she was completely wrong. Not saying that she would lie about something like that, but you know how rumors get started and travel in a small town like the one I used to live in. Sadly, she was right.

Gidget had passed away yesterday. Although noone knows for sure what happened, they are thinking heart attack caused by the strain that she was under from the flu.

But like I said, noone really knows. I don't want to talk about that though. No, Gidget wouldn't want that. She was so full of life and love and sarcasm and wit. She had a mouth on her that could put Howard Stern to shame, but you couldn't ask for a more caring, giving, loving person. She was an incredible friend, a fun co-worker, loving mother and grandmother, and an avid chihuahua lover. Instead of talking about her passing, I want to talk about her life. The part that I got to share at least. I don't know everything that happened before I met her, and I don't know everything that happened after I moved. All I know is she was my friend, and I loved her. Still love her. There wasn't one time that we talked that she didn't manage to put a smile on my face. I thought that I would write her a letter, not to say goodbye, but just to remember some of the good things that we shared.

To my friend, Gidget,

Hey, it's me, your little Mini-Me. Out of all of the nicknames that I've ever had, I think that you may have got the biggest kick out of making one up. You were so convinced that I was just a younger version of you. At least in certain parts. Well, I have to agree with you. We were alike in so many ways, and not only co-workers, but friends. We definitely have some great memories together. I'll never forget the talks we had during our rounds and breaks at all hours of the night, you seeing me off to my Senior Banquet, when you gave me some of the best advice that I've ever gotten, sharing coffee, mountain dew and french fries at one in the morning more than once, all our private jokes, and your "puss" coat. Boy, if we had a nickel for every dirty joke that was made about that one. Granted it was usually by one of us, but still. You were a great friend, and one that I will honestly miss.

I'll miss getting those random FB messages from you, those random text messages, and random pictures just to make each other laugh. Because no matter what we were doing, we always could make each other laugh. We had to go through some serious, stressful, things at work, but you know what? We did it and managed to keep a little piece of sanity and a smile. You were always one to tell me that I had a cute smile and an adorable laugh. I think it's because you felt the need to baby me for some reason. Alot of ya'll did. I can still remember all the smack we talked about Anthony and Tom, and the night that you gave me advice on Justin. By the way...not only hilarious, but effective. But of course you already know that, because we talked about it...more than once. I know that you'll remember the night that I showed up at your house a little inebriated and when you wouldn't answer the door, I took your work shoes off of your porch to hide them. Then I just ended up wearing them to work for like three weeks before you even realized it. Poor Tom, trying to convince you that a dog must have carried them, off and you were all- "Not both shoes Dumb@**!!" When you found out it was me all you could do was laugh, and we never told Tom. We'd be very rich if we had a nickel for every time we played a prank on each other, and then teamed up to get somebody else.

Then the day that they came into the Nusing Home looking for Denver and when you went outside to talk to them Heather told everybody you were hiding Denver in your trunk with it 103 degrees outside, because that's just what people do. So what did we do? Play it up of course! We had so much fun with that one. Heather thinking that I was helping you hide him and that she was some kind of undercover agent or something trying to "catch us in the act". The only thing better is you, me, and Timmy petting your coat and talking about boys. We all used to have a ball. And let's not forget our random sharing of fuzzy socks! We do love our fuzzy/crazy socks. I'll never forget you Gidget, and from time to time I will definitely think about and possibly even write about the things that we have done. Just so you know I still have all of those old pictures of us all from back in the day locked up in storage. I'm gonna miss you Gidg, and I love you.