Name: Nicole Schwarz
Location: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
Relationship to Jessica: Best friend from school
The very first time I met Jess was in 1st grade CCD class.
Jess & Nicole in High School
© jessicafashano.com
I called Jess one day when we first started to become close friends (so maybe 7th or 8th grade). Of course there was no cell phone yet so I called the house number. I remember being so nervous because I was a dork and was excited to call her on the phone.
Mrs. Fashano answered so I held on as she went to get Jess. I could hear a piano playing in the background and I remember thinking, I wonder what Jess is watching! It was around Christmas time so it was one of the Christmas songs.
The music stopped and Jess got on the phone. I was like, were YOU playing that? And she said, yes that was me. I couldn’t believe it because it was so beautiful and at the time I didn’t know she played the piano so well. I told her how great she sounded and probably went on and on about it.
Once Christmas arrived, Jess gave me her gift: it was a cassette tape of her playing a bunch of Christmas songs. I loved it and played it every Christmas (until I no longer had a cassette tape player)! This was one of my first memories of Jess….and there were many more after this one. I will miss her every day of my life.
