Jones

Other roommates ----

I had one tough female black roommate that seemed like she had a chip on her shoulder --we'll call her Jones. I got along with her well enough but honestly, she scared me sometimes. She had that inner city tough chick kind of way about her. Unlike SL, she did talk about her family a lot however; it was never anything good. She had a whole host of brothers that I think were all in some kind of trouble; dealing, jail, etc. There was never any mention of a father and rarely words spoken about her mother. I was always so fascinated with everyone's family and home lives and the less they talked about them, the more curious I was.

I'll never forget one time as she was telling her "brother stories" she said she used to get so mad at her brothers for stealing her deodorant and soap. Connie and I asked why they took it or why that made her so mad and she said, "Because I bought that sh-- myself. They can buy their own." That really stuck with me because I thought first of all, she has to buy her own soap???? Secondly, why oh why would your own sibling keep stealiing your stuff? And lastly, why wouldn't she just share withe them? I knew hers was a world I was oh so unfamiliar with.

This roomate didn't stay with us too long. She eventually got married, made E5 and then was much too much importatant for us little people. But she was a soldier! Jones always looked sharp and always was on time and did every single thing ever expected of her. She was a hard worker and was determined to have a successful military career. I have no doubt that to this day, if she's not yet retired, Jones is at least an E8 soldiering like nobody's business --chip still on her shoulder and all.