As a friend of Abby’s since Ms. Mignerey’s sixth grade Language Arts class, I think it is safe to say that we have been through thick and thin. When we made the discovery of our mutual Pittsburgh roots, it was BFFs at first sight. Record long phone conversations way past our bedtime, complaining about boys (or lack thereof), reluctantly becoming Bulldogs and actually wearing dresses to football games (what were we thinking?), obsessing over crushes, and being my personal caddie on the golf course are just a few of the key themes that define the Abb-Bro bond.
Through Abby and I’s friendship, J.J. (my crazy mom) and Ms. Jean also realized their unique Pittsburgh connection while performing their chauffeuring duties of dropping Abby and I off at each other’s houses for play dates, homework sessions, and birthday parties. My “Bahama Mama” and Abby’s “Madre” shared mutual friends, went to the same doctors and dentists, and knew so and so’s boyfriend, husband, or wife. Their lives must have crossed paths at some point during their childhood, but if not, at least they had endless material to gossip about. One Christmas Eve a few years ago, the Hetzel/Howe family invited my entire family over for our first Christmas Eve dinner. The Brody’s couldn’t refuse a meal cooked by Chef Jeff, so the whole clan (including Nannie Fee) settled in around the dining room table on Aberdeen Drive. My Nannie Fee, also a native Pitssburgher, was gossiping with my mom and Ms. Jean about some old friends they knew. Before I was able to swallow down a bite of deliciously marinated prime rib with polenta, Ms. Jean jumped out of her seat and screamed, “NO EFFING WAY! Ann Klein is going out with WHO?!?!? Harry Weinstein?!?!” I, of course, had no idea who she was talking about, but all I could think about was how effectively Ms. Jean just used the term “Effing.”
In my mind, Ms. Jean was the “Mom of all Moms.” She was the mom that knew how to give teenagers a good scare, probably finding it hilarious with her incredible, dry sense of humor that she knew how to manipulate her daughters (and their close friends) into being the most well-behaved kids a parent could ask for (my parents definitely owe Queen Jean big for this). She was the mom who demanded and confiscated the car keys of a friend the night we got back to Abby’s after prom. She was the mom who invariably called the parents if Abby was spending the night at a friend’s house just to be sure they were home. She was the mom who caught me walking to my car with my sleepover bag and pillow in hand the morning after sleeping at a boy’s house...she said she was garage sale-ing, her typical Saturday routine, but I still think she was on her Mom of all Moms lookout to make sure Abby wasn’t involved in any shenanigans.
I have been fortunate enough over the years of Abby and I’s friendship to interact with the Hetzel/Howe family in numerous capacities. A summer spent working at Mikes, a trip to the camp in Vermont, plenty of family dinners prepared by Chef Jeff and his sous chef, Ms. Jean, and just plain old “hang out sessions” at their house. They always made me feel a part of the family, and Ms. Jean quickly became my second mother. To me, there is no better way to send my love to Ms. Jean than participating in the 3 Day Walk. I know she is sending her love right back to me as she always has, but this is for you, Ms. Jean.
