Before the 2010 pageant season began, David encouraged me to get in my car and drive. Go around the state, meet people and tell them about what I was doing. To help me with this, he bought me a Tom Tom GPS for my car.

He had a nice voice, Tom Tom, and he got me where I needed to go.

One day, David borrowed my car and when I drove it next, Tom Tom’s voice had changed. He was a woman!

And Tam Tam was born.

Tam Tam had a definite personality. And a speech impediment.

She was obstinate and it was either her way or the highway. Her inability to pronounce words she didn’t know cracked me up, though, and kept me from throwing her out the window.

I was in Chicago with Mrs. Oklahoma International 2007, Brooke Good, the summer of 2010. She noticed Tam Tam’s personality and stated, “what a hooker”.  This gave us something else to laugh at. Every time Tam Tam did something rude or obnoxious, we called her a hooker. And laughed.

One day I was trying to to get to the River Spirit Casino in Tulsa for a networking event. I knew that I needed to turn left at Riverside Drive and, yet, Tam Tam told me I needed to turn right. Then her screen was nothing but blue lines. She had clearly melted down.

The hooker.

I went to Best Buy and purchased Tam Tam II.

She came with the same voice, the same personality, the same speech impediment. This Tam Tam became much bolder, though, as she began not telling us which way we needed to go until we had either missed the turn off or, if we knew where we were going, told us after we were already on our way. She’d say turn left while pointing right.

Last Friday, I was packing up the car to head to Oklahoma City to have my hair done.  As I put water bottles on the front seat, I noticed that all of the receipts that had been in my console were on the seat. I looked to the right and Tam Tam was gone!

Someone had stolen the hooker.

I managed to get to Oklahoma City without getting lost. I promptly stopped at Best Buy and bought Tam Tam III.

I thought I was getting the same model as before but when I opened the box, I saw that it was very different. I couldn’t even figure out how to turn it on.

I finally got her turned on and was happy to have the familiar Tam Tam voice in my ears. But, wait! This Tam Tam was not the same Tam Tam. This Tam Tam was precise and had perfect diction. Wow!

She knew how to say International when directing me to Tulsa International Airport. I could hear sharp Ts at the ends of words.

I felt like I needed to say, “Ma’am, yes, ma’am!”

I call her Sergeant Tam Tam.

I will miss Tam Tam the hooker. I will miss her directing me to Ahkla City (Oklahoma City) and Weaverside Drive (Riverside Drive). But I like the new Tam Tam. I think she’ll do a great job. 🙂