Different Destinies

Carrie White started a relationship with Tommy Ross, perhaps one of her next most memorable events was spending a weekend with him hard at work at his uncle Galen's farm. Next on a fine spring a romantic trip to the fair at Bangor, not since the senior prom had she had a great moment. The colours, the candy floss, the merry-go-round, the coconut shies, magicians performing tricks, fortune tellers reading palms and plenty of Fun! Fun! Fun! All the things Momma wouldn't allow and certainly nothing sinful. At the coconut shy one of her favourite activities she bested Tommy by scoring a few more hits than he did.

Carrie herself completed her exams then enrolled in college where things literally turned around for her. Here she continued her relationship with Tommy Ross. Even before graduation Tommy had been scouted by the Boston Red Sox. A promising athlete he had a professional career ahead of him coupled with a highly paid salary. Dick O'Connell the general manager of the Reds wanted to sign him on, however something of a socially conscience young man, he decided that professional sports would have to wait until he finished his English degree at college.

In this alternate universe Tommy Ross faced two possible destinies, a professional baseball player for the Boston Red Sox or a highly qualified English lecturer with a Ph.D. in Masters in English poetry and literature teaching at the nation's most prestigious universities.

About in 1983 Carrie White passed her driving test at the second attempt. That was a few months before her mum Margaret passed away. While visiting her and attempting reconciliation she told her about this, Margaret and Carrie reconciled and made peace just before her passing. A year later Carrie bought her first car second-hand, and orange Volkwagen Beetle which she continued to drive a decade after purchase.

After completing college Carrie made the heartbreaking decision to call off her relationship with Tommy Ross, she still loved him very much but she longed to be more independent and to continue life on her own, for a while anyway. A true gentleman he was very understanding, both eventually enrolled at separate universities. Much later Tommy Ross would get back together with his ex-girlfriend Sue Snell who in this time stream would rise to become a successful journalist and then a reporter.

While still attending university Carrie had another eventful moment when she was invited and asked to participate at the wedding of George Dawson and Freida Jason with whom she was now good friends. Sue Snell now also a friend was the maid of honour. Carrie White was one of the bridesmaid, After the conclusion of the ceremony the bridal bouquet was caught by Sue Snell.

After finishing university Carrie decided to dedicate a career to helping others. When she was a teenager they weren't many people to help her, she began working towards the long road to becoming a teacher and student guidance counsellor.

During this time Tommy Ross and Sue Snell got engaged and Carrie White was asked to be the maid of honour at their wedding. She was overjoyed with this proposal, Carrie White also had met a new man whom she fell in love with and after Tommy and Sue departed on their honeymoon, her own suitor proposed. Her reply was an enthusiastic Yes! Sadly in the end it was not meant to be.

Tragedy struck Carrie, Miss Collins her teacher and now surrogate mom had become terminally ill and was dying. Carrie was very distraught and put her career and wedding plans on hold.

She took it upon herself to nurse her dying mentor, both during her illness and her last days ultimately becoming a full-time carer. On her deathbed Miss Collins insisted that Carrie focused on herself now. She had a promising future and the time had come to let go and continue her life without Miss Collins.

After Miss Collins passed away in early 1987, Carrie was left devastated. In this time of grief she was supported and given comfort by her friends, the Dawsons, the Ross and Freddie Holt. Finally from having grown into an awkward, ugly duckling, teenager into a stronger assertive, elegant and beautiful, young woman, Carrie began her career as a student guidance counsellor. In 1989 the Bates high school closed down following the opening of a new improved and more modern school. Carrying on from its predecessor this new Bates high school boasted an impressive state-of-the-art facility and was better equipped to cater for the need of the town's burgeoning student population.