# Please Pray for My Friends Tommy and Gina During this Holiday Season **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 9, 2005, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890 "2005-12-09T15:52:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/1 "2005-12-09T15:52:24Z")
My friend Tommy worked on the New Jersey docks until he was laid off. His girlfriend Gina has this crap full-time job in a diner. They have through a lot of hard times recently. Gina brings home all her pay faithfully. Sometimes, it is just not enough. If there is one life lesson they have learned, it is just that they have to hold on to what they have. It has gotten so bad that Tommy had to pawn his guitar, the only posession that he loved. Gina has thought about leaving. She cries almost every night and Tommy consoles her. Please pray for them. That is about all they have to live for. ---
**Author:** ![Susie\_Derkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Susie\_Derkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susie_Derkins)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/2 "2005-12-09T16:01:07Z")
Just be there for them, and remind them that, no matter how bad it seems, they’re halfway there. If they ask you where “there” is, look at your watch and mumble something about a meeting you have to get to. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/3 "2005-12-09T16:14:14Z")
:dubious: Ridiculing those of us with personal problems, **Shag**? Shouldn’t you have put this in the Pit? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/4 "2005-12-09T16:15:27Z")
Woot wa-ooo wa-ooo Woot wa-ooo wa-ooo ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/5 "2005-12-09T16:20:51Z")
I dunno, man…that Gina, she’s pretty “well known” by the locals. Bad medicine, that one… ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/6 "2005-12-09T16:22:40Z")
> [@Susie Derkins](#): > > Just be there for them, and remind them that, no matter how bad it seems, they’re halfway there. If they ask you where “there” is, look at your watch and mumble something about a meeting you have to get to. Dunno. My understanding is that whether they make it or not, it probably doesn’t make a difference. ---
**Author:** ![Redwing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dfb087/32.png) [@Redwing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redwing)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/7 "2005-12-09T16:22:44Z")
Indeed, Gina has given love a bad name. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/8 "2005-12-09T16:22:57Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > :dubious: > > Ridiculing those of us with personal problems, **Shag**? > > Shouldn’t you have put this in the Pit? 😕 Is there a joke i’m not getting here? ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/9 "2005-12-09T16:23:43Z")
I just hope they don’t decide to go out in a blaze of glory. Sometimes love is like bad medicine, but bad medicine is what you need. That’s what you get for falling in love. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/10 "2005-12-09T16:28:22Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > 😕 > > Is there a joke i’m not getting here? Just in case: the OP is lifted from an old Bon Jovi song, and most of the subsequent respones are also references. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/11 "2005-12-09T16:28:26Z")
You have to listen to Bon Jovi to get this? Well, I’m out. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/12 "2005-12-09T16:37:30Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > You have to listen to Bon Jovi to get this? > > Well, I’m out. Me too, apparently. Thanks for the clarification, **Shibb**. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/13 "2005-12-09T16:44:50Z")
To add to the complications, I hear that Tommy is wanted by the police! Dead or alive! But, it’s his life, and he ain’t gonna live forever. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/14 "2005-12-09T16:54:38Z")
Oh, man, poor Tommy! He’s under the gun, out on the run, he’s gonna set the night on fire… ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/15 "2005-12-09T21:56:07Z")
But if she takes his hand, I think that they’ll make it, I swear. Unless he’s all slippery from his dock job. Whatever. It’s their life; let’s hope they never say goodbye. ---
**Author:** ![call911mfc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@call911mfc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/call911mfc)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2005, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/16 "2005-12-10T04:04:46Z")
Isn’t this an old Willie Nelson tune? …or was it Neil Diamond? I can never keep them straight :smack: ---
**Author:** ![misstee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@misstee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misstee)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2005, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/17 "2005-12-10T15:23:24Z")
Hopefully they can keep the faith. If not he can lay his hands on me in a a bed or roses when we runaway on a Saturday night. I’ll be there for you in and out of love. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2005, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/18 "2005-12-10T22:39:47Z")
I just hope Gina doesn’t runaway. That would be a real shot through the heart to Tommy. He might need you to give him something for the pain. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2005, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/19 "2005-12-11T00:26:57Z")
I hope that in spite of it all, they’re able to have a nice day. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2005, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890/20 "2005-12-11T01:02:53Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > My friend Tommy worked on the New Jersey docks until he was laid off. His girlfriend Gina has This is as much of the OP as shows up on the pop-up from the MPSIMS page. The first thing that runs through my mind is, “heh, how bizarre. Bon Jovi has a song about a Johnny who lost his job on the docks in NJ… well, better see what’s up in the thread.” Sometimes I can be a weeee bit slow. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-pray-for-my-friends-tommy-and-gina-during-this-holiday-season/334890.md?page=2)