Lately I have been thinking about my story of three roommates, which is actually a whole lot like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, although names have been omitted in order to protect innocent and guilty alike.
1. Delinquent In Training
If you want to talk about things my young and naive self never saw coming, this would have been the first one. My initial choice of college was an in-town college which was probably just over 10 miles from my parents’ home. My mother, who was thrilled at my first choice being her alma mater, decided I needed the experience of living away on campus – and she was right.
The nun who was in charge of housing contacted me with her little issue. There was a wealthy and talented young lady who needed a “special” type of roommate for her freshman year. Like me, she loved playing guitar and singing. What the heck, right?
Oh, I think the first few weeks were fine. Sally was pleasant enough, and we occasionally sang duets. And because there was no internet back then, I had no way of knowing what she was telling her other friends about me.
The honeymoon was clearly over when I discovered that she was not only dispensing wacky weed for a profit to our dorm-mates, but was giving away some of my record albums as promotional items. I guess she thought I wouldn’t notice. I did. I was visiting someone else on our hall when I saw one suspiciously familiar-looking copy of some personal favorite, only to return to my collection to see where it was no longer.
There was also an instance when she “gave” me a pair of really cool blue jeans only to inform me, when I asked her for her half of our monthly private phone bill, that the jeans were intended to cover that. Jeans were returned and tempers flared.
This is when I discovered that the best way to find a roommate is probably not asking the housing manager, since she had her own concerns. Hence, I opted to room with:
2. The Permanent Annie
Like Sally, and actually like most of the ladies on our dorm floor, Cindy loved to sing. She had a beautiful voice and loved Barry Manilow. She also had the lovely matching drapes and twin bedspread set that coordinated with one of my favorite colors. Her roommate, Joan, had to leave the dorms after semester 1, and Cindy and I found each other out of necessity.
OK, I will admit here that in my case, it was more me needing to room with anyone but Sally that caused the good match that was Cindy and me. I always liked her, and really liked her departing roomie Joan as well.
Stoner Sally quickly found another roommate that shared her passions for mind-altering substances and music sharing. I didn't stop speaking to Sally, but was relieved to see her leave.
As for Cindy and I… did I mention she loved Barry Manilow? As in: owned every one of his albums and could easily listen to Nothing-but-Barry 24-7? Oh, wait. She had one other favorite LP: the soundtrack of “Annie.”
At about 4 feet 6 inches, she had a fantasy about being the world’s first permanent adult Annie. It was a great idea on paper, and frankly, with her voice, she could have pulled it off with proper marketing.
Cindy was a very sweet young lady, mostly quite considerate, and we had lots of fun together. I don’t remember what Cindy’s degree was in, but when I moved back in with my parents for Year 2 at that school and got a car from same parents, she and I kept in touch and socialized more than once.
At the two-year-completed mark, I opted to change schools to a state university that was offering a degree in what I thought I really wanted to do forever (program computers) at a very reasonable price. I knew I would be boarding there due to the two-hour one-way drive time to Mom & Dad’s place.
Through a man I was dating at the time, my third and final roommate entered my life. She knew I was planning to attend her school starting junior year, and she found me compatible, so she called and asked. I felt like I had won the roommate lottery after my then-boyfriend had tortured me with her photo in his wallet for over two years.
3. Just Right
This young lady not only had beautiful hair and looked great in a bikini (which hadn’t been on my short list anyway), but she was very smart, very considerate, and understood the fine art of roommating. She soon adjusted to my many bizarre quirks like an old pro.
Full disclosure here: part of her real name is Ellen, and she and I remain besties to this very day. Any friendship that can span a couple, three, more decades is solid.
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