The first semester after I transferred to the University of Utah I knew no one and generally wandered around campus looking lost. Lost but approachable, especially as the weather warmed (my nose stopped running and my eyelashes thawed), and soon random people in matching obnoxiously colored t-shirts began hugging me. No simple handshakes for these politicians. Hugging worked and I voted for people I didn't know, based on platforms I'd never heard. Translating to me picking as I judged the names for poetic sounds. The one name I remember? Tracie Bryan, in black ink on bright orange posters.
Tracie Bryan and I met months later in California when I'd forgotten about the campaign and desperately needed a roommate. Luckily she needed a roommate too. And so we moved in together. This worked one time only. The following summer while again in California I propositioned another charming girl to be my roommate. Torah Bright. Sound familiar? She's a model for Roxy and represented Australia in the 2006 Winter Olympics—snowboarding, known for her crazy risky tricks.
Tracie, not being an Olympian, began and ended our search for an apartment. A large spacious third-floor pad, furnished, private bed and bath for each and near the funky heart of Sugarhouse. Awesome. Not so awesome was the permanent smell of age.
We lived in an old-folks community. I'm not certain if it was assisted living or just a group of retirement condos. But no amount of open windows, Febreeze, candles or cleaning would neutralize the smell of old people. Coincidence that I didn't make many friends that year?
It also forced us to age abnormally. We cried over hot dogs about not being married, not having children and gray hair. A time warp had occurred. We couldn't share stories about our great-grandchildren. We follow our spouses down the hall with wobbling canes. We didn't really want to but we did feel like a valuable part of life had been withheld. Moral of the story don't live with old people. Except Tracie moved down to Long Beach for her Master's and eventually ended up in her grandma's house. A house she will now share with her newly legalized husband.
Guests ate hot dogs at her reception.
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2 comments:
old folks community, you should fit right in with that back of yours, Edna! hahahaha. How YOU didn't end up being a ROxy model god only knows...oh yeah, you have to TURN your snowboard once in a while...good story, when u write i can see it, keep it coming and don't stop even if you become an "analytical therapist" hahahaha
That was before the back problems, I was youthful and healthy then. And turning's overrated.
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