#9

I believe a person truly starts to "grow up" when they leave home base and go out into the world and live on their own. About 12 years ago I moved out of home base and moved into a crumby apartment with four other girls. We grew up together so to speak and we've been close friends ever since.

About once a month or every other month depending on schedules those of us who live near each other meet for lunch or dinner. When Cheryce is town we all make sure to get together too. We catch up on each others lives through good conversation over a hot plate of food. Sometimes I'll sit at the table and remember how we were 12 years ago. The one thing I remember the most is how much we laughed with each other.

I remember teaching my roommates how to defend themselves if someone should ever try to steal their purse. I remember blasting our music and dancing around our apartment early in the morning or really late at night. I remember Cheryce liked the temperature really high. I remember Val liked Doritos with Cottage Cheese. I remember going to Dee's for late night hot chocolate runs. I remember going to Hugh Hess for dinner. I remember Val cooked these really good rolls with chicken and cream cheese in the middle. I remember going for rides up the canyon with Analee and singing primary songs together and at the top of our lungs. I remember laughing with Stacey so hard that I couldn't breath. Something about chocolate melted on the butt of her pants.... I remember walking in on Cheryce making out with a boy in her room. I remember Cheryce always studying. I remember the domestic fights the couple below our apartment would get into. I remember cars being pushed into the ditch out side our apartment parking lot. I remember the weird people who lived across the street. They would put their old gramma in a wheelchair, wrapped in a blanket, outside under the carport every single day, ran or shine. I remember the horn on Stacey's car would honk every time she turned right. I remember a huge cloud of smoke would come billowing out of my tail pipe every time I turned on my car. I remember when Val came home with a brand new car. How can we forget about Analee's Buick Skylark or something like that.

I remember our hearts got broken by stupid boys, our friendships were tested, and we eventually all moved out to start a new chapter of our lives. Stacey moved home and then got married. Val moved to Salt Lake City. Analee went on a Mission. I moved home for a short while and eventually moved to Salt Lake City. Cheryce got married and moved to Arizona for med school. And now, Val is married with two children. Cheryce moved to California, divorced Rhett and now has a baby girl with Carlos. Stacey is married with two children. Analee is married with a baby boy. I am divorced and back in school to finish my degree.

Apartment #9 will always be a wonderful memory for me. The women I met there will always be close to my heart.


JJBean