Zoot Roxz

My son signed us on to AOL and I went into the breakfast room, which he had gone into. A young kid asked me how old I was and when I told him. He said I should try “40’s Friends chat. Well I did and the room was moving way too fast for me. I looked for other rooms and I saw Music Oldies. Well, the rest is history. It was September of 1999. I live in Southern California out in the Inland Empire, which means away from the coast. I am an Orthopedic Tech, which I started doing in September of 1973. I started training while I was in the Air Force. I stayed in it for 20 years and now I am ready to retire again.

I have been to 5 ROCNBBQ’S. 2 HUGYFESTS and a TEXFEST, but the first time I met a roomie was lunch at the Lighthouse. It’s a seafood place in Long Beach, overlooking the Queen Mary. There were 8 of us there that day and the first one to greet me was SPNNRN. The others were ECHOBRIDGE, ROCN60S, LUVMYCHAIR, KILRBSER, LWHITEDOVE and YUMMEYTOES. I
remember being introduced to YUMMEY and immediately glancing down at her sandaled feet.

My second dinner was at some Italian place and it was there that I met one new roomie, BRITINLVR. We all went to YUMMEY’s apartment after dinner for dessert. When it was time
to go, I got a hug from the women and I had perfume on me. I had to drive home with my car vent fully open, in winter, to blow the perfume off me before I got home. I was still
married then, even though things were on the decline. I didn’t need to get caught up in another domestic battle.

Another moment that stands out from back in those early days is the time that some of the California roomies were getting together for the evening and I had gone to YUMMEY’s
house, where we were to meet before heading out. SPNNRN and DOVEY had already arrived but then made a quick trip to the store. I knocked and called in to YUIMMEY. I
noticed the windows and curtain were open. She suddenly came out of her bedroom in slacks and a bra. She saw me and screamed and ran back to get her blouse. Ever since

then she claimed I had disguised my voice to sound like SPNNRN. It was a long-time inside joke between us four.

There are a few roomies that I have met that have never been to a roomie party, so I feel fortunate to be one of the few to have met JJRNY2002, IMPATIENTANCHOR AND
SHES4DATSINGING. I also met 2 roomies who eventually made it to a larger party, but only after I had been the first roomie they had met. Those 2 are JANSPORT and LELU (aka
CHESIREROXZ).

It gets personal after this so I will stop here. Generally speaking I have fun in the room, Not always, but most of the time. If I am not in a good mood, I try
not to go in the room and take it out on others as some do.

One memory I have that is very personal to me is when my brother passed away. I refused to go in the room and put tension in the room. AIDY was gracious enough to send out an Email on my behalf to tell others why I was away. She also told of my request to the roomies to not bring up my brother when I returned to chat. I have been in the room when people have brought in bad news and took us out of our laughing and joking mood. I did not want that to happen. In my opinion the room is where we go to get away from the
sadness that real life can bring.

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