Snow falls, and Jennifer talks to the wall

The world sure was white when I woke up this morning. It was hail at first, the kind of little pellets that are almost snow but not quite, but now looking out my window I'm wondering if the snowflakes are finally falling.

A truth came out last night about the newest roommate from California: Jennifer talks to walls. And electric guitars (belonging to Mara) leaning against the walls. And dark, empty corners of rooms.

Or so Mara thought.

Last night I was reading a novel, as I tend to do in the evenings after a long day at school. I started out sprawled on the couch, then moved to half the couch (so Holly could sit down), then ended up sprawled out again, on the floor in the corner between the two couches and halfway underneath the puzzle table. I changed places when everybody was preoccupied elsewhere; Holly was in the shower, Jennifer was getting something from her room, Sara was showing off her super special spiffy blue dress, Mara was doing stuff on her computer, and Kelly was hemming a dress. A few minutes later Jennifer entered the living room to return to her homework nook on the love seat and paused, confused.

"Where did Jessica go?"

Although engrossed in my book, the question still made me giggle, and Jennifer laughed when she spotted me half-hidden under the table and between the sofas. "There you are!"

Nobody paid any attention as Jennifer sat on the love seat (next to my head) and started her physics reading. She didn't get very far. The ward dance has been on most of my roommates' minds lately, since Sara and Kelly found out who the computer "matched" them with on Sunday and Monday, respectively. (Hence the reason Sara was showing off her special dress.) About two paragraphs into her reading (and a page and half further in mine), she blurted out randomly,

"You should do your hair for the dance."

I was not in the mood to be pushed around. I pretended not to hear, but Jennifer persisted. "You can do mine and then I'll do yours."

This required a hasty disclaimer. "I don't think you want me to do your hair."

"It's not hard!" Jennifer protested. "You'll see." She continued trying to get me to think about fancy hairdos for the dance. I continued trying to ignore her.

Mara walked in, passing Kelly sewing at the kitchen table, and asked, "Jennifer, who are you talking to?"

Jennifer paused for a moment and then laughed. "Oh, you know, the guitar. 'You should really do your hair for the dance!' No; Jessica is in the corner. You probably can't see her from there."