The Jon and Carrie Love Story, part 8

It was late Sept/early Oct again, which meant fair time.

Tori and I headed to the fairgrounds to scope out boys, er, eat fair food and look at stuff. I couldn't believe a year had gone by since moving to Yakima! As weird as this place was, actually the area had grown on me. I had even started saying "Yak-u-muh" like how the locals say it. I loved living in Washington and was rapidly converting to being "from here" instead of claiming my Oregon roots (which seemed oh so far away). In essence, I suppose I was finally becoming adult-ish.

Tori and I meandered around, she with her diet Coke in hand (this was not normal, she was a diet Pepsi type of girl, but you do what you can when Coke is your only option). We were walking by the Ecuadorian booth when all of a sudden, who should appear? Jon. Of course! The anniversary of our meeting (this thought didn't cross my mind until years later)!

We chatted, and I'm sure Jon chatted more with the Ecuadorians, and Tori and I bought the little handmade $1 bracelets they were selling and put them on (I think Jon talked us into it). Jon was still working at the radio station at the time and had a free pass to the fair, so he was just meandering the fairgrounds himself. So he joined us as we entered the ag building, where all the quilts, photos, canned goods, and other items were on display.

I laugh to think how similar Jon and Tori were. They both loved to talk about the latest news, swap stories, out-talk each other-- it was pretty funny to watch. Thinking about it now, it makes total sense. My best friend had a similar personality to the person who would become my husband. Thanks, Tori, for preparing me for a lifetime of never slowing down.

Anyway, we headed upstairs and checked out the photos, something I really loved (after all, it was tradition--I had done the same thing on my first weekend on Yakima the year prior). I am sure I was looking at each photo carefully, while Tori and Jon were talking a million miles a minute about who was dating who in the Singles Branch, etc. etc. We grew tired of the upstairs and wanted to see what else was around.

So we started descending the old stairway. It was long, wide, and made of wood that had seen better days. I was probably thinking about work, perhaps about where my next convention would take me, and Tori was stepping downward, carrying her diet Coke while talking to Jon.

Walking downstairs, while holding a diet Coke, while talking to Jon, down a long flight of old wooden stairs, in her Dr. Marten's, is apparently quite distracting. So much so, that Tori's foot slipped right out from under her, and before we knew it, Tori had plummeted to the concrete floor at the bottom of the stairs.

"Tori!!!" Jon and I ran down to help. Only it was too late. Her leg was already broken.

A few people gathered around, and a fair worker pulled up in a golf cart and called for an ambulance. Tori was a trooper, as always, and made us laugh through the whole ordeal. But she was definitely in pain.

At this moment, what would a random guy tagging along with us do? Stay at the fair? Go home? Not Jon. He drove to the ER.

I arrived at some point, Tori arrived at some point, then Jon, and eventually Tori's dad. Jon and I waited, and Tori's dad came out and Jon went in with him. In the exam room, they gave Tori a blessing, an ordinance that helps heal the sick through the priesthood. I think I got to see her for a split second, and then Jon and I went our separate ways home. Tori stayed and got a nice, big cast, then afterwards months of torture, a disabled parking pass, and a few funny incidents riding the electric carts at Walmart.

What I got out of it was a new perspective on Jon. He was a loyal, helping friend. I liked that. >>Continue to Part 9