ROOM 301, Capricorns
They say that Capricorns, people born between December 22 and January 19, surround themselves with a thick wall.
The year I moved into room 301, there were two Capricorns – I and the girl in Bed B, ate – and I think we do have a thick wall around us.
It takes a long time for me to let people in, and it’s possible that ate would never have talked to us if we never left notes on her desk. 😂
But for some reason, the ladder to my bunk was the one ate climbed when she wanted to eat dinner with someone. I was the only roommate who received soft pokes on the back (“Carmelia, are you asleep?” she would ask) when she wanted company.
For some reason, the two Capricorns in room 301 became close friends.
Our friendship is not always peaceful though. When we talk about things like poverty, gender equality, or indigenous people’s rights, my stubborn ideals clash with her strict practicality.
Sometimes, when we talk about something I care about, I say things before I can stop myself. One time, I said something like, “That’s a very privileged way of looking at the world, ate.” 😆😅
Next week on this day, I will see her in person for the first time in many years.
When we both decided I would visit Canada, her husband was worried that our friendship would end. He was afraid we would get tired or hate each other because we would be together almost all the time for 2 weeks.
But ate and I aren’t worried. 😊
We are usually on different sides on many issues. But we’ve lived together in the same room for 2 years; and since that time, we’ve exchanged millions of words in person, through messages, through voice calls and video calls.
Some words have hurt. Some words made us laugh. Some words made us angry.
But none ever broke our friendship.
Maybe we’ve known each other for so long, so we have a lot of confidence in our friendship.
Or maybe we both know that we’re simply stubborn Capricorns who enjoy eating from the same grass even though our horns occasionally bump and butt against each other. 🐐🐐