“Don’t get mad, get wiggly!”

During my junior year, my friend Andrew dated one of Suise’s friends, so I hung out at Susie’s house with them often. Soon after, I started dating a girl named Stephanie and at one point, she went away for a month to camp. While she was away I missed her more than words could describe, but while at Susie’s house I was not allowed to be upset.

No, the minute Susie saw that I began to miss Stephanie, she would say in the most high pitched voice, “don’t get mad, get wiggly!” and grab my arms and flail them about and dance.

Although this may seem like a small thing, ever since that day Susie has taught me how not to let things upset me, and when I start to feel down or upset, to “get wiggly.” Sometimes when I look back at that memory, I can still hear her voice say it in that upbeat and bubbly way, and I just want to thank Susie for teaching not just me, because I’m almost positive she has had this effect on everyone, that when we feel down or out, to not get sad but “get wiggly.”

-Steven Idtensohn