Memory Lane - A Tribute

Caveat.  MANY paragraphs to come.  Recording these memories has been an interesting experience for me.  I am so thankful to have had them, sad that those times are gone, sad for things I wish I would have done back then, but mostly just happy that they continue to make me smile.  

A tribute to one of my best friends, Cameron Bennion Jones.

11/14/2010 Cameron's Mission Farewell

August 2003 - The Cow Pants
Meredith and I were in Musical Productions. We were a whirlwind of energy, some of you can maybe imagine. One day during rehearsal we noticed a tall, cute boy in cow print pajama pants. It quickly became obvious that we wanted/needed to be his friend. Who wouldn't want to be friends with a tall, cute boy comfortable enough with himself to wear cow print pajamas to school?

September 2003 - Asking
I don't remember how I came to the conclusion that I wanted to ask Mr. Cow Pants to the Halloween dance, but that conclusion had a immeasurable consequence. We (Meredith and I with Taylor Wright's help) spent an ENTIRE Saturday planning out the Scavenger Hunt to ask him to the dance. I am trying to remember the entire arsenal of people who helped us. Me, Mere, Taylor, Mal?, Dal?, Pierce (I couldn't forget the Mummy), Trent?, am I forgetting anyone? Anyway, we honestly spent all day planning this. I remember calling Jeanie, his mom, and asking her if we could ask Cameron and she was so cute and excited. Oh MAN I wish I had the details of that night written down. My memory is murdering this which is so sad. I think it all started with a note that his Mom gave him. Then I remember he had to go to Taco Time and get a paper (I think Trent and Mal had brown paper bags over their heads and just handed him the next clue) - (I am cracking up writing this down), and sadly the only other one I remember is that he had to go to the Kaysville Cemetery. The set-up at the cemetery was a circle of candles in the dead center, a clue in the middle of the candles, and at the entrance we had a Mummy (Pierce Smith?) wrapped in toilet paper who pointed Cameron in the direction of the candles. I remember Meredith and I staying one step ahead of him during the entire adventure and it was a rush of adrenaline all night long.

The next Monday night there was a black cauldron FULL of the most delicious variety of chocolate "eye-balls" on my front porch, with a note that said something like, "Eye would love to go to the dance with you", but really much better written.

October 2003 - The Dance
I don't remember too much about the dance. We were 80's. Here are some pics. Went with Mere and Nate Christopher, went Trick or Treating with Alyson Bean and Taylor Wright. I do remember that we bought my sweater at the D.I. and cut out the collar and it was like knit so it was like stretching and coming off all night. That was a little weird for me.

October 2003

October 2003

2003 - 2004
Meredith, Scott Hollist, Cameron, and I went to lunch most days Spring Semester. I can't remember what classes we came from, but Scott would drive his ghetto-car and we mostly went to Taco Time. After lunch we would drop off Meredith at the portables for AP Calc (with Derek Gnehm), Cameron at the Shop building, then Scott and I would park and walk into Seminary EXTREMELY late. Every B day.

March 2004 - The Reeg
Mere and I were still pushing the Regional Dances at that time and of course our good friends supported us. The Reeg on my birthday had great attendance. :) Me, Mere, Cameron, Scottie-boy-Hollist, Tucker?, Davis Burningham? Then Ping-Pong and partying at my house after. Cameron in his all gold suit.

2004 Todd, MC, Cameron

What's not to love?

DI Tuesdays. Scott and Cameron (along with maybe Tucker? and some Valentines) went to the DI every Tuesday, and on my birthday week I went with them and they bought me a toy cash register. And I think they got me some fake plastic jewelry for my birthday. I don't know, but they were a thoughtful bunch of high school boys.

Cameron would tape Jimmy Neutron episodes off TV for me. I also went to his house once and watched them there. (This may seem like a meaningless part of the tribute, but I don't want to leave anything out.)

Spring 2004

Summer 2004
I've got nothing. I kind of dated Jason Clark this summer so . . . I probably didn't see Cameron that much. Sad.

Fall 2004
Cameron and I went to lunch almost every day our entire Senior Year. One thing (since I have no specific memories of this time) he would do that made me laugh so hard was a Gorilla Run down the hall. Arms above his head, hands hanging limp, making monkey noises, everybody looking at him like he was a psycho, me walking behind him laughing my head off.

November 2004 - The Answer
I don't remember how I asked him, but I remember how he answered. He was in Musical Productions our senior year, but I wasn't. I was performing Spanish Soloist in The Nutcracker while he was doing their production that year. All the performances and dress rehearsal coincided. I can't remember if he came to the Saturday Matinee Nutcracker performance, but after the finale when bouquets are brought the Grandma and the Pas De Deux Couple I was also brought a bouquet. I didn't understand why, but then I noticed a paper inside. It was from Cameron. "I would love to go to the Christmas Dance with you Love, Cameron." How nice.

December 2004 - The Christmas Dance
We had an interesting relationship, because we weren't dating, but we were together ALL THE TIME. So, our "date" was funny. When our group FINALLY got to Cameron's house to pick him up, he was in a little light blue old school suit. I didn't even notice. I was like, "Come on, let's go!" and Cameron had to point out to me that his suit was a joke. So he hurried and changed into a normal suit. We had dinner at Meg's house, almost the entire drill team and their dates. Cameron thought Meg was weird, and I thought Meg was weird so we had our fill of little jokes between us. Also, we sat at a table with a bunch of jock boys and so I think we were joking about how different Cameron was from them. As we were leaving Meg's house for the car it was raining pretty hard.  All the other boys were giving their jackets to their dates. I kind of looked at Cameron, and he said to me, "You wish" and kind of pushed me out the door.  Then we ran to the car.  I laughed the whole way. This is a good story to describe our relationship, which is why it was so good.

Christmas 2004

Christmas 2004

Christmas 2004

Spring 2005
Again, lunch every day. We both had AP Calc right before lunch one day so we could easily find each other and walk out. Often, his class would get out first. He would wait for me. We had phases. For a LONG time we went to Jake's Over The Top. Then I think Wednesdays was Bowman's chicken. It was Taco Time for awhile.

March 2005 - Birthday
Cameron MADE me a hammer for my birthday, because I was MC Hammer and he was a wood worker. He carved it (I think?) out of wood and burned MC into it. It was sweet (in every sense of the word.)

Cameron bought me a Kenny Chesney CD for my birthday one year. There was a song that had my name in it. "Mary Ann taught me a little more 'bout wantin' what you cant have" which Cameron always laughed hard when he heard.

Spring Break 2005
Normally Cameron and I talked every single day, so when we had a week off of school we didn't really see each other. I remember one rainy night going to his house and we talked in my car in the driveway for hours. Brady, my "boyfriend" called from Lake Meade and I said I'd call him back. At like 1:00 am I tried to go, but my car wouldn't start. So, Cameron runs inside in the rain, gets his dad, pulls out his little white truck, starts my car, so I could go. At 1:00 am, what a good guy.

May 2005 - Mr. D'Ette
For the Mr. Dart Assembly each club or organization can elect one person. Of course, all the D'ettes loved Cameron so we elected him. It didn't hurt that I was the Captain. One night at the studio I taught him a dance I made up to "I See a Red Door and I Want it Painted Black". It was AWESOME! Started on the floor. Arms to match the music. In a black costume with a sparkly hair piece. Leaps. Fouettes. You name it, Cameron could do it. The problem was that you only got to do your "talent" if you got into the second round. And Cameron didn't. But we had made such a fuss about how cool his talent was, that they made a special allowance and let him do it. It was a hit. And from what I understand, that dance has served him well for many years after the fact. He wrote a note to the D'ettes thanking them for letting him represent them.

June 2005 - Graduation
The morning of graduation I went with Cameron (and Ben V?) to see Star Wars - Revenge of the Sith in theaters. Oh the amount of time I spent in that little white truck.

Last day at DHS. MC (note Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy shirt), Slick, Cameron

Graduation. June 2005.

Things that Remind Me of Cameron. In No Particular Order.
Country Songs in General, but specifically
      -Big and Rich - Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy
           (bought a shirt that said this in San Antonio, TX that year in honor of Cameron and this song)
      -Montgomery Gentry - Gone
Cameron's catchphrase, "Only the Best"
Putting sauce on every bite of a crisp meat burrito

I cut this out of an Albertson's ad I think.

1/1/2006

1/1/2006

September 2009 - One thing that I liked about the name Camden for our son, was that it had a little of Cameron in it.  Can't go wrong there right?

I will always be grateful for the cow print pajamas that started this beautiful friendship.

Thanks for all the wonderful memories Cameron.  What an honor to be your friend.