"Love is a harsh and dreadful thing to ask of us, but it is the only answer."--Dorothy Day

3.01.2007

Living Room.

When I was in college I wrote a play entitled Living Room. (punctuation included). It was about 4 twenty-somethings living together in a 2BR apartment. It was titled thus because it all took place in their living room, and they needed room to live. I am all about the double entendre. And aside from the fact that it was just a little bit racy, as all things in college tend to be, it was fairly true to form. If there's anything I know, it's roommates.

As I rode the D train this morning, I was mulling over my roommate experiences. I am soon to embark on a new one, and have had many, many. My friend Paul (one of the many) and I were discussing one day how many roommates we have had and set up criteria for this count. If you and said person shared a living space for two weeks or more, in an uninterrupted period. And if you've lived with them more than once, you should only count the time when it was the longest. Paul and I count each other roommates, both because I lived with him for two weeks upon my arrival in NYC, and because he and his roommate (my best friend) were the only people I knew in NYC, and thus I was at their house all the time. I maybe should've paid rent. So here's my list, 19 in all, not including roommate to come. Some have names, others epithets.
  1. Clara, Shoe Stealer
  2. Megan
  3. Pauline
  4. Janet
  5. Carrie
  6. Aydrea
  7. Shelley
  8. LeeAnn
  9. Pothead Guy, Whose Name I can't remember
  10. Credit Card Stealer, Whose Name I wish to forget
  11. Courtney
  12. Paul
  13. Karen
  14. Nathan
  15. Caleb
  16. Jeremy
  17. Brent
  18. Adam
This is everybody since I left for college, in August of 1997. I am still friends with 10 of them, if MySpace friends count. This might be a roommate record. I don't know that there is anyone who can best me on that. Hmmm...there certainly are a lot on that list. Good luck #20!

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