It was hate at first sight when Tia first met Shana.
Irritation, frustration, and disdain were mainly what Tia was feeling at the moment,
not to mention just an overall lack of tolerance.
It was 2300 (11 PM) when the two first met, and they both had just experienced a long day.
They, along with many other cadets, had arrived at the Cold Lake Cadet Training Center (CTC)
to complete a summer certification course.
- Omniscient Viewpoint
Tia arrived at the CTC that day after a five-and-a-half-hour journey and was dead tired. She had used up all her energy on the trip there and wanted nothing more than to go to bed and knock out. Shana arrived at Cold Lake at 2255, after delays had caused her journey that was meant to be four hours to transform into six. She was frustrated and confused and really needed someone to vent to.
Tia left Calgary at 1227. She thought she would be reluctant to leave home, but instead, she was filled with nothing but excitement. It was her second time going to a CTC; her first was three years ago, and coincidentally, it was also at the Cold Lake Training Center! ‘Three weeks, all to myself!’ she thought excitedly. ‘I wonder if we’ll stay in the same barracks as last time? Once I get there, I want to go straight to Canteen and buy a bright yellow camp sweater!’ She decided to take a nap until they reached Edmonton. In Edmonton, they stopped for lunch (Subway) and to refill their gas. From there, Tia and a few other cadets played card games and exchanged numbers until they reached the CTC. Once they arrived at the CTC, they checked in their belongings, ate dinner, and went to the barracks.
It was 1630 when Shana left Fort McMurray. Shana had gotten her offer of participation four nights prior while she was still at a university for Biology camp. Shana only arrived home last night and felt frazzled, exhausted, and nervous. She desperately wanted to spend some time with her family, but she also wanted to go to the camp, as it would be her first time at an Air Cadet camp. The bus stopped at a small town midway through to exchange drivers, except the driver never showed up! After waiting for over an hour, they finally resumed their journey. When Shana arrived at the CTC, she was rushed through check-in and sent to the barrack block with two boxes of juice and six Subway cookies.
After waiting nearly four hours to get her suitcase, Tia gave up and went to bed. ‘I’ll see if I’ll be able to get my stuff in the morning,’ she thought. ‘Though I still don’t see why they won’t let us have it! I’ve been in uniform since 9 AM. It’s already 10:15, and I probably won’t be getting my stuff anyway. Also, wasn’t this supposed to be a four-person room? How come I’m the only one here? All the other rooms have at least two people by now!’ Feeling upset, Tia toed off her boots and flopped backwards onto the bed she made two hours ago.
Holding her “dinner” in one hand and her suitcase in the other, Shana clunked step-by-step up four flights of stairs. She inspected the light yellow bracelet on her right wrist. ‘3020, 3022, 3024… ah! Here it is! 3026!’ Shana took a deep breath in. ‘Come on, let’s make a good first impression!’ She pushed open the door and dragged in her suitcase. “Hello!” she called and was met with silence. Fumbling around in the dark room, Shana flipped the light switch.
“Ugh!” Tia groaned as she blearily blinked open her eyes. She sat upright and looked towards the source of light. “Oh. Good evening,” she said. “Could you be a little quieter next time?” Tia felt vexed, although she tried her hardest not to let it show. ‘It’s 11 PM! She’s probably woken up the whole floor by this point, not to mention me!’
“Sorry,” Shana mumbled. ‘What’s up with her? I was just trying to be friendly!’
“It’s fine. I’m Tia. What’s your name? Let me help you set up your bed.”
“I’m Shana. Thanks, I’ll need the help with the bed.” ‘Why is she frowning so much? She seems like a pretty grumpy person.’
Tia dragged herself out of bed, no longer bothering to put on her boots. She was wearing socks anyway. ‘Oh geez, was I too snappy? I better apologize.’ “That bed is yours. Sorry, I’m usually more cheerful. It’s just that I’ve had a long day, and I still haven’t gotten my suitcase or anything. Plus, you woke me up.” ‘How inconsiderate!’
‘Oops, I didn’t realize she was sleeping!’ “Sorry! I didn’t know you were sleeping!” ‘Though, isn’t it rather early to be sleeping? Eh, I guess we’ve both had a pretty long day.’
Tia and Shana made Shana’s bed in silence before retiring for the night, both holding their own opinion about the other person.
The next day, a staff cadet told Tia and Shana that their other two roommates wouldn’t be coming due to medical reasons. One broke her leg in a freak accident, and the other got COVID-19.
‘No! I don’t want to live with a grouch for three weeks! That’s the worst! I made such a bad impression; I’m sure she hates me!’ thought Shana. ‘Look, she’s giving me the side-eye right now!’
‘Oh, come on! Of all people, I just had to be roomed with someone like her, who is so self-centred!’ groaned Tia in her mind. ‘I was so unfriendly last night; she probably thinks I’m a grouch. So much for making friends easier since it’s my second experience.’
Their initial impressions made them assured that the other loathed them. However, during the three weeks, Tia and Shana grew to become the best of friends.
By the middle of week two, the two had learned more about each other’s hobbies and grew more understanding of the circumstances behind their first meeting. They learned about each other’s likes and dislikes; Tia loathed peanut butter, while Shana couldn’t go a day without writing in her journal. They never wanted to leave camp.
Once the last day rolled around, as it inevitably would, the two held back tears as they exchanged phone numbers (they only shared their social media accounts previously) and bade farewell until the next time they would meet again.
On their respective journeys home, the two couldn’t help but reminisce about their time at camp, the valuable experiences they gained, and the wonderful new people they met, especially their new best friend.
The friendship between Tia and Shana in this narrative can draw some parallels to Bud and Robert’s relationship in the short story Cathedral. Initially, Bud hated Robert with a passion. Robert was blind. He was friends with Bud’s wife. Robert married a black woman. It seemed impossible for Bud to ever develop an emotion apart from contempt or disdain for Robert. However, as the two talked, Bud slowly discovered that Robert wasn’t like what he had imagined. Yes, he was blind. Yes, Robert was close friends with his wife. Yes, Robert married a black woman. But these weren’t the only traits that defined who Robert was as a person. He was funny and inquisitive. He liked to learn and discover new things. He could drink and he could smoke. As Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie would say, Bud had formed a single story about Robert due to his prejudice and bias.
The two texts in this blog illustrate the importance of keeping an open mind while meeting new people. While it would be unreasonable to ask one not to form opinions about a person based on a few observations, one should not let those formed opinions stop one from being willing to learn more about that individual.
Citations:
- https://www.dreamstime.com/illustration/annoying-kids.html
- https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/cartoon-playing-cards-vector-1316870
- https://culturedecanted.com/2015/04/11/have-we-become-the-white-rabbit-the-experience-of-time-in-the-postmodern-era/
- https://www.tasmeemme.com/en/store-items/sleepless-girl-suffers-from-insomnia-woman-in-bed-with-open-eyes-in-darkness-night-room-flat-cartoon-style-vector-illustration/?item=10126900873
- https://depositphotos.com/vector-images/disaffected.html
- https://www.presentermedia.com/powerpoint-animation/knees-of-frustration-pid-22497
- https://www.freepik.com/premium-vector/hands-holding-smartphone-cartoon-text-messaging-content-sharing-via-phones-concept-vector-illustration-communication-app-with-hands-two-people_19377283.htm
- https://maranathahealth.org/act/learn/the-danger-of-a-single-story
- https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/gothic-facade-by-dashinvaine-on-deviantart–40884309091947448/
