It’s So Good To Know You’re Not Alone
Jayne Copelin (below, left) and Tracy Field met three years ago doing a work training program at Two Good Co, a social enterprise which, among other things, donates meals to women’s shelters. They now work for Two Good and have become best friends.
Jayne Copelin I was living in a refuge and my case worker convinced me to do the work training program. I was pretty terrified the first day. I hadn’t had much human contact over the last few months due to anxiety, and when I went into Two Good I was shaking like a leaf. I hardly spoke to anyone. Tracy was very quiet and very reserved too; we didn’t actually talk until about 10 days in.
Tracy Field I remember looking at Jayne that first day and thinking, My god, that poor lady over there. She wouldn’t lift her head up, she wouldn’t look at anyone, and that’s the truth. The moment we really become friends was the day they had mentors come in to meet us, these young corporate types. Me and Jayne were sitting next to each other and I leaned over and said, “Get a load of these girls – they’re going to mentor us? When they find out who we are they’re going to freak”. We both laughed. I had to eat my words, though – those girls were the best.
JC Tracy and I have a lot in common. We both have kids, we both have crazy husbands, we both have unsavoury pasts. When she told me her history, and it was similar to mine, that changed things. It’s not something I’m proud of, and it’s hard to make friends and keep your past a secret. You’re always worried you might let something slip. But she understands, which makes it a very relaxed relationship.
TF There was just something about Jayne that I knew I could let her have my whole story. She copped it all. I knew she wouldn’t judge me. When she trusted me enough to tell me her story too, I felt very privileged.
JC Tracy is loyal like a cattle dog. She is a motherly person, she likes to make sure everybody is okay. She is very caring and worried about how people are. I’m not like that, I stand alone. When we met I had a stand-offish attitude. I didn’t need any new friends. I didn’t need any friends. Now I can’t imagine life without her.
“Jayne and I are going to be friends for life – and maybe longer. Who knows, there may even be another life together waiting for us up there.”
TF Jayne and I are very similar – we have the same stupid sense of humour, she can finish my sentences and I can finish hers. She likes to put this hard front on and I get why she does that – all her life, people have let her down. Deep down, however, I know she has a heart of gold. She can’t fool me.
JC When I fell down the stairs and shattered my heel, Tracy really saved me. She pushed me into going to the hospital, she did the shopping for me, she cared for Gypsy, my youngest daughter. I don’t think I’ve ever had a friend like Tracy who I completely and honestly trust with my life. She would take a bullet for me.
TF There have been so many times that Jayne has been there for me. My father passed away not long ago; when he first started falling over a lot, I had to go home and look after my mum. If I hadn’t had Jayne, I wouldn’t have got through it. I could call her and knew she’d listen to me, even if I raved on for an hour. When I got home, she was the first person I wanted to see.
JC So much has changed for me since that first day at Two Good. I had zero confidence then – I had nothing to look forward to. My life was not fun. Two Good changed things for me, but so did Tracy. It’s so good to know you’re not alone in the world, it gives you confidence when you know that you don’t have to do it on your own.
TF That first day of the program, we both had the same belief – that this was going to lead to nothing. We’d had so many dead ends before. Things are so different now. The confidence that Jayne has now is unbelievable – she will get up in front of 100 people now and talk. There’s no way I could do that, no way in hell. I love working here. Two Good feels like a big extended family, and Jayne and I are going to be friends for life – and maybe longer. Who knows, there may even be another life together waiting for us up there.