Carrie Rogers Interview, Part 1

Martin Tschetter:

Okay; today is Sunday, April 27, 2008. It's around 2:15 and we're in Salisbury. That's right?

Carrie Rogers:

Uh-hm.

Martin Tschetter:

Okay; my name is Marty Tschetter. I'm here to interview Miss Carrie Rogers about her experience having gone to East Carolina as a first generation college graduate. I do need to ask do--is it okay if we record this?

Carrie Rogers:

Yes.

Martin Tschetter:

Okay; and thanks so much for you know replying to the inquiry. The University is very interested in hearing your story so this is about you and your experience. So I guess if we can start off with if you could tell us or tell me what about your background like your--you know your family and where you grew up--that kind of thing?

Carrie Rogers:

Well I grew up in a small town called Faith, North Carolina which is a few miles outside of Salisbury. My family--I was an only child; my grandparents--my grandfathers they were never in the picture because they had passed away before I was born. My paternal

grandmother, my dad's mom, she was--she also lived in Faith, a little over a mile from my house and I spent a lot of time with her. My mom's mom lives in the Salisbury area as well and I spent some time with her. We did the typical things I guess growing up or just for living in that area. We had the typical 4th of July celebration in my town where it's still going on now; it's over 50 years old. I went through the local school system here, K-12--

Martin Tschetter:

Excuse me; in Salisbury?

Carrie Rogers:

In--well it was Faith Elementary School, Erwin, and East Rowan High School. East--Erwin was the transitioning between junior high and middle school, so I was only there [at Erwin] seventh and eighth grade but that was here in Rowan County in the Salisbury area. I think the actual addresses for East Rowan and Erwin Middle School were Salisbury. But the town of Faith has the elementary school--Faith Elementary. That's where [I went for] kindergarten through sixth grade--so that's a little bit about me. My aunts and uncles also live in the area except for my mom's younger brother and he moved to Tennessee when I was probably about 10 with his wife and two sons. My mom's [older] brother--I spent a lot of time with him and his wife and their three sons. So that sums up my family. And my mom does also have a sister. I didn't do much with my dad's brother, his only sibling in his family but they would come into play some off and on through my life

So how I went to ECU was I decided somehow--I don't remember how that I wanted to be an Occupational Therapist. And I narrowed it down to what I thought were the best two schools in the state for that and at the time it was East Carolina and Lenoir-Rhyne College. I got accepted at both so it was up to me which one do I want to go to and like some people who they might apply to two and three colleges and they have one say yes--everybody else turns them

down, I actually had a choice. I went to open houses at both schools and the people at ECU were friendlier and the weather was a whole lot better; it was a perfectly sunny day--nice weather. When I went to Lenoir-Rhyne it was really bad, really rainy; you were walking through the parking lot with like the inch of water so it was really raining hard. And I'm like you know what that does not look like a good sign. It's my first time visiting as a prospective student and the people aren't as friendly and it's a really nasty day outside and I didn't seem prepared for that.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; yeah.

Carrie Rogers:

And everybody at ECU was so friendly and helpful so that was really nice to see that. My parents dropped me off for my first semester there and I was--I was okay. I was a little nervous and scared at first as anybody would be, but I was also ready for the new challenge. So they knew I'd be okay; I just spent time away from home before on various trips with school or other like organizations because I grew up in a--doing stuff in a 4-H Club and through the American Legion Auxiliary and they would provide opportunities for me to go on trips without mom or dad so I wasn't one of those homebodies that had never spent a night away from home.

Martin Tschetter:

And those are good especially you know formative younger years for sure.

Carrie Rogers:

The summer before my senior year [of high school] I was gone probably almost--if you add up--all the time, it was probably a month I was gone.

Martin Tschetter:

Wow.

Carrie Rogers:

I was gone for five days or six and then I came home overnight to leave for eight at one time. That was just how it worked there, so--.

Martin Tschetter:

Huh.

Carrie Rogers:

So you know when I--when they dropped me off at college you know that was okay for me to--I was just cool [with it]--you know I can call them any time I want to you know. But they hadn't actually gotten a chance to go to college so this was sort of a new thing for them dropping somebody off for college that they knew. Actually nobody--until my cousins went to college--like aunts, uncles--they might have gone to like a trade school, like my--one of my aunts did go--start nursing school. I don't know that she finished it. Another aunt went to beauty school but you know that's just like a two-year thing and--.

Martin Tschetter:

Well how did--you mean you remember ever talking to your parents like I mean did it ever come up or--?

Carrie Rogers:

Like I--I don't remember them starting the conversations with me about go to school or whatever. They said that you know that at some point they let it be known that I was expected to go to college. It wasn't a choice of oh I want to go work at the Mill or I want to go to work at Wal-Mart or wherever; it wasn't even a choice of really going to college or a community college, so--.

Martin Tschetter:

How did--I mean you--can you recall like what that made you feel like I mean just knowing that your family members hadn't really--?

Carrie Rogers:

I didn't really think about the fact that they--my parents had just graduated from high school and stopped there. I guess I thought maybe that was because you know oh my parents are just old [older]; they didn't do that kind of thing when they were younger because I mean our parents didn't necessarily have some things growing up because I remember my mom saying she remembered in early elementary school grades and probably some past that where her family had--didn't have running water in their house, something--that's like old school.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; it sounds kind of way back.

Carrie Rogers:

And then I knew my mom had grew up on a farm so and--you know she told me about working with chickens and stuff and cows, so I mean if you grow up on a farm you don't think about those people going to college or anything and my parents actually made a deal with me before I graduated high school. They said if you go to college we'll pay you a car when you graduate, so you know--and unfortunately the car just died recently an unpleasant death. It got wrecked accidentally.

Martin Tschetter:

Hmm; that's not fun.

Carrie Rogers:

But I had the car for seven and a half years.

Martin Tschetter:

Wow.

Carrie Rogers:

So and I actually made my car Blackbeard; it was a black car and my friends were naming their vehicles so since it was a black car and I got it for graduating from East Carolina I just named it Blackbeard.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; that's appropriate.

Carrie Rogers:

And it was a good car. So you know my parents, they actually when I said you're going to college however that conversation initially happened they were like you know we don't care what you major in, we don't care where you go to school, the only thing is it must be a four-year college and you must graduate with a degree. So that was a pretty [wide range] .

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; no you're--I mean you're fortunate in that regard because they were supportive you know. They really wanted you to have something better, so that--that's pretty awesome.

Carrie Rogers:

And they had grown up in this area too so it wasn't like they were trying to force anything on me like I had friends that went to East Carolina--Heather and Caroline went and their parents actually went to East Carolina. So when they grew up I don't know what their deal was with their parents; I don't know if they had been to enough things before with football games or other Pirates events. I don't know if they had grown up going to that and thought hey I like that school; I'll go to, or if mom and dad said if you want us to pay for it you're going there. So I don't know if that's what it was--with them but I didn't have such an influence because you know the parents had not gone to college; they didn't have a personal experience going to one versus another, like State versus Carolina or ECU versus Appalachian. I--they didn't have those experiences so it was a--you find out where you want to go; you just have a good day.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; yeah well did--did your--so your parents--did they both bring you and drop you off at ECU?

Carrie Rogers:

Right; they were still married. During my time at ECU though my dad did die; he had Parkinson's disease and he died my third year there. So that was not a pleasant experience. He died six weeks after my grandma did.

Martin Tschetter:

And that was his mom?

Carrie Rogers:

[Emotional]Yeah--.

Martin Tschetter:

I know that's tough.

Carrie Rogers:

It's hard [to talk about sometimes].

Martin Tschetter:

It's okay.

Carrie Rogers:

Because they--they [wanted] for me to go [Emotional]; daddy was so sick that last year he was alive that he--some people would have said you know I had to stay home but daddy wouldn't let me.

Martin Tschetter:

Wow; that's an awesome--

Carrie Rogers:

He wouldn't let me. I mean that wasn't an option. [Emotional] He was in the hospital a lot that last year and mama called me one morning and said you know--she actually called me [to say grandma died] and one of my friends from school [home] had actually started out at a private college down at Pfeiffer University for two years and our third year of college [she came to ECU]--because my friend is only eight days older than I am. She--we actually had the same first name and everything and our parents--our moms had the same maiden names and we had just grown up together. I don't how closely our moms were related but that was [nice to have her there]--my grandma died on a Wednesday morning. Mama called me and said you know your grandma died last night or early this morning and she said I have the funeral [arrangements]. [Funeral] home visitation Friday night and the funeral will be on Saturday so you don't have to miss school. [Emotional] And my grandmother's older two grandsons, her--my uncle's two children because my grandpa had two sons--my dad and his brother--his brother's oldest two sons were in college at I think Appalachian--yeah Appalachian and she said your grandma wouldn't want you to miss school. So you stay there until Friday and then come home. And then you know six weeks later it was a Monday and mama called me and said you're coming home tomorrow. Your daddy was sick like I told you on Sunday and then on Monday she you know called and said, I told you your daddy was sick yesterday. And I took him to the ER the night before and all that. And she said last night he was non-responsive. And she told me

you're coming home in the morning. And my truck had been giving me some issues; actually it was daddy's truck. It was in his name. And he said--or she said I know your truck has been giving you issues, so your uncle and aunt which is my mom's--mom's sister and her husband, so it's really my great-aunt and her husband were coming to get me the next morning and then I was to let one of them drive my truck home. And I was to be ready at a specific time with my stuff packed ready to go. It was all sitting on the front porch at Aycock because there's [where I lived on College Hill] and they said--they came and said okay where is your truck? My aunt drove my truck home and my uncle, he drove the van--their van and I rode with him home. And my truck had been overheating and my uncle knew some stuff about overheating vehicles and they just wanted to get it home and get it worked on and my daddy was in the intensive care unit here at Rowan Regional--at the time it was [probably still] Rowan Memorial Hospital and it was the local hospital. And daddy had been asking where is Carrie; where is Carrie, you know? And when I walked into the hospital I had been in there, like I said, daddy was in there a lot. So I sort of knew my way around; I wasn't sure where ICU was because he had never been in ICU when I was at home. He had always been in regular rooms. And I went up and I found the hallway where ICU was and I heard a familiar male voice and I'm thinking hmm, that voice sounds familiar. I didn't think anything of it because I wasn't paying attention of who was in the little visitor room or chapel room right along that hallway. And then I--I walked past it and then I hear a familiar female voice and it was mom's mom--it was my grandma. And I backed up. And I noticed that the male voice was actually the local Sheriff at the time--well he's still Sheriff now but I had grown up knowing him. And when his kids were born I became their baby-sitter so that's why his voice was so familiar. When I was 16 he was in a different part of

law enforcement at that time. And he trusted me a 16 year-old kid with a brand new license and it was a full license unlike now where it's graduated; it was a full license. It-it [He] trusted me driving his two children who were eight and ten--no, eight and six; they were eight and six at the time. He trusted me driving his kids around town and with the key to his house. So I mean you know--

Martin Tschetter:

A lot of trust.

Carrie Rogers:

You know no wonder he sounded so familiar to me. And I said grandma where is daddy because I wasn't sure which part of ICU he was in. There were several different beds there. He--she said all right; come on. I'll show you. So we got back into the ICU ward and as soon as my--my aunt, my dad's sister-in-law--she married his brother, as soon as my Aunt Karen saw me she didn't really say anything but there were several people standing around my dad's bed and somehow she gestured or just caught their attention and looked my way and it was like all of the sudden I'm some celebrity and everybody moves back because he had been asking for me. And I finally got there and then that was a Tuesday and then the next night he died. So that was a difficult time.

Martin Tschetter:

Sure; but you had an opportunity to--so he knew you were there and stuff like that?

Carrie Rogers:

He knew I was there and he had known that the truck had issues; it was overheating a lot. And we were able to get it fixed; he knew that we were going to get it fixed while I was home. And we thought when we left that night around 9:00-something that you know he was going to be there the next morning because we were just going to go home and sleep for a few hours and take my dog out and do some stuff like that. And I was actually talking on the phone to one of my friends from ECU and he--my friend that I was talking to was deaf. He--I was using

the teletypewriter--TTY phone to talk to him so I wasn't really hearing the beeps because we have call waiting at my house and the people at the hospital were able to get in touch with other relatives of mine. And my mom's brother--my Uncle Coy, he--he was--he and his wife, my Aunt Dootsie, they both came over to my house and knocked on the door. And the way they knocked was not the typical little you know knock, knock, knock somebody is coming to visit; it was--if you don't come to the door I'm going to beat it in kind of knock so you knew it was something urgent. And my aunt said you've got to go to the hospital now. And when I heard that I told my--on the TTY I was typing and I said family emergency; got to go--bye and hung up the phone. And I had a bag that I had carried with me that I had purposely packed away the night before I left ECU and--because I had--I have a history of migraine headaches and I didn't know where I was going to be that night or any night, so I had like my medicine to prevent those and I had Tylenol or Advil or something in case I did start getting a migraine you know. And I had some clothes and stuff like that so if I needed it I had my little emergency bag. I grabbed it and we left--or at least I'm pretty sure I took that bag with me. But I know I had pretty much kept it with me a lot there. But that's--and they told us then that he died and it was not one of the best times I've ever had at ECU but you know after I got the call that [Emotional] Monday night that you know Carrie, you're coming home tomorrow, I called up that guy--my friend Jon and I said by the way I'm going home tomorrow. I said my daddy is really sick and they [Jon and Kati] came over and stayed with me a while and that was just not [Emotional] something you know I really wanted to say to them but I told them you know it's probably the end. And they're like he'll get better. I was like you don't know because I've seen him so sick for-for [so long]--we found out he was sick when I was 10 and he died when I was 20 and--. [Emotional]

[End Carrie Rogers Interview, Part 1]

Transcript of Carrie Rogers Interview, Part 2

Martin Tschetter:

Okay; all right Miss Carrie I'm really sorry. Okay; if you don't mind because I think we missed this--when you were typing your--or just a little while ago you were mentioning that you were typing on the TTY machine?

Carrie Rogers:

Right.

Martin Tschetter:

How--how--is this something you got involved with in high school or in college?

Carrie Rogers:

It was actually at ECU; my friend, Jon is deaf and he has a cochlear implant, but at that time on the phone it was a lot easier for me to use the TTY, the teletypewriter, the phone that a lot of deaf people use to communicate since obviously they can't hear like we can. Now he's--I don't know if its technology that has gotten better over the years or what but he had recently--or at least after my dad passed away he had gotten something that he can plug from the phone straight into his implant's processor because he has a body worn part [for the] processor--or at least last time I saw him he did. And he could plug that into the phone line and somehow talk to me where he--that will help him hear me better. But at the time he didn't have that technology. And he--we met--I know we met in the fall of '96 because that's when I had my Biology class and lab and he was actually in my Biology lab. But one morning we--we had gotten up and I gone over to the dining hall--Todd Dining Hall on College Hill because he lived in Aycock with me by that time. He later moved over to Scott Hall and then to an apartment later. But he was--was actually where I started learning sign language which is what I do now for work. He could understand me some days but you know he's from Northern Virginia, like the Richmond area

where they say something like I want the [mose-pronunciation] out of my [hose-pronunciation]--not I want the mouse out of my house. And then he wanted me to teach him to talk like a North Carolinian which is not very easy. It's pretty difficult. And I remember the bank, Wachovia--he said it Wa-cho-via, because he saw a c-h--in there and you know sometimes that c-h--still makes like the--sort of like the k-sound. And he didn't know that so you know I was trying to teach him how to talk. So that's probably like I said--I started as an OT Major; that's how I went to EUC--I did not come out an OT Major. I changed. I had at least three different majors while I was there, because I was OT and then I was CSDI.

Martin Tschetter:

Which is--I'm sorry?

Carrie Rogers:

That's Communication Sciences and Disorders; that's where you start out before going onto get your masters to either be a Speech- Language Pathologist or an Audiologist which was the second major. Then I decided I didn't want to do that. Then I went to the CDFR--Child Development and Family Relations Department and came out a Family and Community Services Major with a Sign Language Minor. Of course that stayed my Minor the whole time was Sign Language.

Martin Tschetter:

Sign Language is tough.

Carrie Rogers:

It can be at times; it's challenging now trying to interpret hard classes. I'm not doing so hot in Latin but a lot of people are having trouble with that one.

Martin Tschetter:

I had it tough with Latin just in English so I can't imagine signing.

Carrie Rogers:

I've never taken a Latin class; I know minimal Latin you know like the terms [et cetera] or some other stuff that has seeped into regular American culture. I know that--but my [Latin] student and I have we have gotten to where we could work together

with that. He understands that I'm doing the best I can and we've got [gotten through]--because he's a really smart kid.

Martin Tschetter:

And do you have a good relationship?

Carrie Rogers:

Yeah.

Martin Tschetter:

Good rapport?

Carrie Rogers:

We have a good rapport and walking in there I was like you know we're going to have to work [together]--I don't know how your other interpreter [did this] because I was his second for Latin class; I said I don't know how your other interpreter has done this but they are reading Latin because I know you understand written Latin. I will help you follow along and you can read it for yourself. But I--I can't interpret Latin in sign language when I don't understand it. And I wouldn't help you any because that's not making you read the Latin; that's showing it to you in a language you already know. So you know when I put it to him like that we got that little rapport there. He knows--he's smarter than me in some ways but he also realizes that you know I'm still a staff member and I still know a lot more than high school students do.

But Jon was the reason I started learning sign language more than just because I wanted to. I had met a couple other deaf people but he was pretty much the one that made me use it. And with him, he could hear some, so if I signed something a little bit off or I didn't know the sign he could read my lips and try to piece it together with the other words that I knew that I could sign with English so I was speaking and signing at the same time with him until I met Christy. And Christy is profoundly deaf; there she is in a picture. I've probably got some others of her, but she also lived in Aycock Hall our freshman year--or at least Jon and I's freshman year; I don't remember if Christy was a freshman with us or not. But Christy didn't--she didn't speak like Jon

did and she didn't really read lips. So he was like hey Carrie; I want to introduce you to my friend, Christy. And I'm like okay; that sounds cool. He said but the trouble is she doesn't speak; you're going to have to sign. So I'm throwing you in with what you know; you can do it yourself now.

Martin Tschetter:

Wow; that's kind of neat.

Carrie Rogers:

So, that was kind of like feeding me to the lions or tended to push me farther to make me learn it; and then I actually found Christy recently on Facebook or My Space--one of those websites. So we're friends now there again.

Actually here's the pictures of some of my friends including when Jon came to my house here in Rowan County. That's my house. The twins--this one is Kati; she was my roommate my second semester at ECU. My first roommate was Candice and she moved out to an apartment. Her parents made a deal with her that you know live in--there's Candice--that was Halloween. She was some kind of gypsy. But Candice--if you live in the dorm for a semester and still don't like it we'll get you an apartment. So that's what she did.

Martin Tschetter:

Did you live in the dorm the entire time or--?

Carrie Rogers:

Yes; I spent every year in Aycock Hall and I didn't see any sense in leaving much.

Martin Tschetter:

I lived--I lived in Aycock.

Carrie Rogers:

You did?

Martin Tschetter:

I lived right on top of where the letters were.

Carrie Rogers:

Oh you had a front room?

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah.

Carrie Rogers:

I lived in the middle section with the windows facing Scott Hall. And my friend Doug actually lived right on top of me in 435 my freshman year. And when we went to room signups we were excited because--but Then, he got an RA job. The plan was fourth and first were guy floors; second and third were girl floors and the third and fourth were for freshman only. And Doug, he was living in 435; I was in 335 so since we weren't going to be freshman again I was going to 235 and he was going to 135, so we were going to stay still together. And I--and I joked with him that I was going to get back at him because one day he--I don't know what possessed him but they had brooms upstairs because they had linoleum floors. And you can see the difference between his room and rooms on my floor where the furniture was even different because these were girls that lived in my dorm. Then--the one day he picked up his broom and instead of sweeping like usual, he--the part you sweep with was up in the air and he put the handle on the floor and beat on his floor, and called down and said did you hear that? [Laughs] I'm thinking what are you doing? He was like oh I just wanted to see if you could hear me beating on the floor. Okay; I did--yes, I heard you, so I joked that I was going to drop stuff on the floor and call him and see if he heard it. But I never got to do that because he got an RA position in I'm thinking it was Scott Hall. Several of my friends lived in Scott; I didn't know many people in Belk but I knew people in Tyler and Jones too.

Martin Tschetter:

What did you think about dorm life?

Carrie Rogers:

It was interesting; I had a lot of roommates there. People were like, are you that hard to live with? I'm like no; they all had a reason for leaving, like Candice--she moved out into an apartment because she didn't like dorm life. And then I met Kari; there were a lot of Carrie(s) there. Of course Kari spelled her name different; she spells it with a K. But Kari had an identical

twin sister, Katie and at the time Kari was living with Carrie Webb, who we just called Webb--it was common to go by your last name when you weren't the twin. We just called her Kari or Rissa because her real name is Karissa but just for short they called her Kari. And I'm like okay; whatever. But Kari and Webb were living together but Kati was coming down from a private college in Pennsylvania; I don't remember the name of it but she was coming down to ECU because she didn't like where she was and she wanted to be closer to Kari. And I said look; it's mid-year. You don't want to make Webb mad and move out on her. I'm going to be roommate(less). You and I get along okay; why don't you have your sister come live with me. I live in Aycock; you live in Jones. It's not that far apart. It's a whole lot closer than you are right now.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah, yeah; that's only--that's the next dorm over, right?

Carrie Rogers:

Right; and compared to next dorm over versus Pennsylvania and North Carolina--that's a whole lot closer. You could walk--because I'd hate to walk to Pennsylvania right now but she said all right. I will ask Kati about it and Kati said okay. And then I remember coming back after Christmas break and I was headed up the stairs and I saw this redhead coming towards me and I'm thinking is that Kari or is that Kati? I do not know because they're identical. As you can see here, they're hard to tell apart for some people. But there they are together and if I didn't have them labeled over here on the side to look at them, a lot of people would be like now how do you know which one is which? Well live with one for a while and you'll figure it out.

Martin Tschetter:

Now where were they from?

Carrie Rogers:

They're from a town near Binghamton, New York.

Martin Tschetter:

Huh.

Carrie Rogers:

So they're from Upstate New York, which is--and they were friends with Jon too so that's why I was pretty much the one elected to teach him how to talk to elect like a southern person. They couldn't; they were from New York.

Martin Tschetter:

They talk funny; yeah.

Carrie Rogers:

They don't--they don't sound like a regular New Yorker or somebody from Jersey. And Derek and Mike lived in our dorm. Mike actually has illustrated some stuff for East Carolina. He illustrated a book, a children's book I think related to Pee Dee the Pirate.

Martin Tschetter:

I think I've heard about that.

Carrie Rogers:

That's--it's an interesting little book; I saw some of the stuff on the internet about it. And he's done some posters; when we were there he did a comic strip Everyday Life in the news--the school newspaper and that was cute. Derek was one of the main characters in there with Mike. So we had a good time. And like see this picture of the twins isn't labeled and to you if I said which one did I live with I'm not sure you could pick them out.

Martin Tschetter:

Probably not.

Carrie Rogers:

I lived with Kati; it's this one and I just--I just know because once you've lived with them you got--seeing Kari come down--because she--she was like, hey Rogers what's up? I was like oh I know you. She's like yeah; I'll be nice to you right now. Kati is coming. And you know I walked up a few more steps while they kept coming down and there was Kati and I was like hey you're my new roommate? And she's like how did you know? I was like I just saw Kari so you have to be Kati. And it took me a little while to figure out which was which.

Martin Tschetter:

They probably have their own personalities and--.

Carrie Rogers:

That's true; and now Kati is married and Kari is not. And at Kati's wedding there were a whole bunch of people. I don't think those pictures are with me today but she got married and they had a big group of us--oh there's--that was my black car that has since gone to the car graveyard and that was actually snow in Greenville, like right before I left . That was fall of 2000 because I graduated in December. And that's--

Martin Tschetter:

Wow.

Carrie Rogers:

And then it sort of looks sort of [funny]--'cause they were doing some construction there and there is that port-a-john out in the middle sticking up like a crazy thing there. I got some extra pages in here so I hadn't put those in here from the wedding but they actually had a huge group of these friends there. And ECU was a lot of fun for us.

So then after I graduated--actually Kari and I graduated at the same time but we--Kati graduated a semester later and she was doing an internship that fall of 2000 down at Disney World. Kari had already been down there and then Kati got an opportunity to go. We went down--Kari and I flew down to Orlando or Kissimmee or wherever and saw Kati down there for New Year's that year, so we had fun. Actually in Greenville one day we went somewhere. I don't know if we had gone out to eat or just went to get ice-cream somewhere or what and these people came up and they were like are you twins--talking to Kati and Kari? And I'm thinking they look identical; what do you think? So that's Kari--but--

Martin Tschetter:

They weren't deaf were they?

Carrie Rogers:

[No, they're not.] That was me there and they're--she's [some sign language club members] here and but over here is more of the deaf people [people who are deaf]. Here's some of the interpreters. They worked at ECU and there's Mike Lupo--Mike Lupo was a

teacher/faculty member at ECU in the Sign Language Department. He was one of the people with Sign Language Minor Department. He--he's deaf. Delia and Amy and Sandy are three of the interpreters; the one in the blue shirt, the one in the white, and the one in the pink. I actually see them now at some interpreter workshops and I keep--I sort of keep up with Amy on one of those Facebook/My Space pages too. I have both so I get a little confused sometimes who's on which one.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; I can't even keep up with it.

Carrie Rogers:

I don't have them on there. And there is my fourth--fourth roommate, my third year, fourth roommate that her name was Chris. We lived together all year; actually no, she was my fifth roommate because my first year it was Candice and Kati and the second year it was Amber and Amanda and then it was Chris. My--there was another girl, Jennifer; she didn't live with me very long. She moved out as soon as she could; I don't know why. Everybody else I pretty much stayed friends with, like I keep up with Nicole some and Garrett actually came from around here to ECU after I was there. He was there my last year--year and a half. And he--he and his roommate, Jeremy were from--both from Rowan County, little towns called Woodleaf and Cleveland. So I said hey; where are you from because I had seen Garrett wear a shirt that said West Rowan High School. I'm like where are you from? He said Salisbury. And I said I'm from Faith so quit lying; where are you really from--because I've--I've said that line so many times. He--he said [Cleveland] but if you didn't know that line because I told it so many times because you get tired of saying well Faith is near Salisbury. So when you say I'm from Faith--where's Faith? Near Salisbury--oh, I know where Salisbury is so you just start saying I'm from Salisbury.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; sure.

Carrie Rogers:

But Garrett was actually from Cleveland; like you're from Ohio. How did you pick down here? No; I'm from Cleveland, North Carolina. It's a little town near Salisbury. So when you start saying the same line you know you kind of can pick them out. There was another Carrie; four or five now in this photo album I have here and we--so that's something about my friends and I lived--well I lived on the hill in Aycock all except for one summer session and Aycock was not opened then so I lived down in Cotton.

Martin Tschetter:

And that was around on the main campus?

Carrie Rogers:

That's on the main--the central campus.

Martin Tschetter:

One of the--it's one of the old ones, right?

Carrie Rogers:

Yeah; it's right across from the Wright Auditorium. It's right there on the corner near the--I think that's close to the Registrar's Office and the Business Office over there. And I worked in the computer labs eventually--and there's Andy and Webb. They also worked in the computer labs.

Martin Tschetter:

Now how did--so let me jump back. Your parents dropped you off and you kind of went through that thing.

Carrie Rogers:

Right.

Martin Tschetter:

Did you--you were involved with some group weren't you? Or you mentioned that you were in--?

Carrie Rogers:

I was in the Sign Language Club, so here's some of the people--

Martin Tschetter:

What's the SAIL--S-A-I-L?

Carrie Rogers:

SAIL--that was--that was a freshman program which was for the third and fourth floors of Aycock Hall that was supposed to get freshman acclimated to college life and help you

out there. It was pretty cool; they did some extra stuff like how--they had little floor meetings to say like okay it's almost time to register for classes and this is how you do it. I went through that little thing for us and you know would have little Hall meetings and parties. We had a little social room and I just happened to live across--like diagonally across the hall from the social room. So one night I had decided all my friends were gone for the weekend, so I was just going to hang out in my room and watch TV and stuff. But they--there--there were a few girls down the hall that were having a little get-together in the social room and you know I didn't want to impose on their party and you know I had walked by there going somewhere else in the building and noticed you know--I'd look kind of funny going in there because there were a whole bunch of African American people in there and I'm thinking you know that looks like some party but I'd look a little out of place. [Laughs] And then one of the girls came by and saw me in my room by myself because I had my door opened and she's like, why don't you come over here and hang out with us? And I thought okay; I'll go now. [Laughs] So you know you don't want to bust in on somebody's party especially when you look a lot different than they do.

Martin Tschetter:

That's cool though; so you hung out--hung out and--?

Carrie Rogers:

We went--we hung out and had some fun. And here's some of the people that would have been in like the Sign Language Club except this was Christy's surprise birthday party. We had it at Ham's over--it was near UBE. I don't know if it's still there or not.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; yeah it is.

Carrie Rogers:

But it was over near UBE.

Martin Tschetter:

On Evans Street?

Carrie Rogers:

Yeah. I would remember if went back to ECU [all the street names].

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah, yeah, no, it's alright. I grew up there, so.

Carrie Rogers:

Actually when I came back home one time, we have a Civic Center here in Salisbury and I was--one of my high school friends, he was really sick. He had actually just gotten a clean bill of health from having lymphoma and then he had leukemia like within the same year. And they were having a bone marrow/blood drive; they were trying to take people's blood to see if they would match so they could [share] start bone marrow with him and you know I'm one of those people that was like oh I'll do it later; I'll do it later. But then when it gets a little personal and when it starts being your friend, you--you're like okay never mind. Today is later. [Laughs] Let me go and I was like okay; who wants my blood? But actually before I did that I lost the Civic Center; I was like where is it? Did they move it? But no; it was the same place it always was. I just couldn't remember which road it was on.

Martin Tschetter:

Hmm.

Carrie Rogers:

I guess I was too used to college life and not coming home to Salisbury much because I did spend a lot of time at ECU. Mostly I went home for breaks; occasionally I went home for a weekend. But only one time did I go home overnight. And that was actually the last time I saw my grandmother alive. My mom had called me and said a lady from your Uncle Dennis' work stopped by and she does look a little bit like you but when she was standing in the doorway your grandmother quietly said, is that Carrie and one of her friends? And my mama said no, it's not; so you know--she was like your grandma wants to see you. And that was in January and --in late January--maybe like the first weekend of February. But so I went by and

saw grandma; I went home on a Saturday morning. I had classes late that Friday and I stayed there at the hospital on Saturday like right after I got there. And then I went home and slept and went back on Saturday--I mean Sunday and stayed there a while before I had to get back to ECU or--because I had classes at like 9:00 or 10:00 the next morning and I didn't want to have to get up at like 4:00 or 5:00 to be on the road so I could get back to Greenville in time, because it's a three or four-hour drive. And here's pictures from--that's Kati and we're at the football games and--.

Martin Tschetter:

Did you go to many games?

Carrie Rogers:

I went to a lot of games--the football games. I didn't really go to baseball or swimming or anything.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; but football--did you like that?

Carrie Rogers:

I liked that and if I didn't get to go like if I stayed home and studied living in Aycock it was so close that I could keep up with setting off the cannon every time ECU scores. So I could leave my window open if--because it was on the side of Aycock that faces the stadium and I could hear every time--boom. And it was close enough I could walk--easy.

Martin Tschetter:

Oh yeah; yeah. Did you--what did you think of the big stadium and all the people and all that?

Carrie Rogers:

That was actually cool and I was there the day we beat State, so that was fun.

Martin Tschetter:

Wow.

Carrie Rogers:

And like everybody else I had one of my shirts that was--it was probably my Greenville 77 shirt the one that says like "the only sign of intelligent life in Raleigh" and it says

"Greenville 77 miles". So you know the--the State people wouldn't like that because they like to think they're smart.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; yeah.

Carrie Rogers:

And this is one of the little--could have been actually after that game, we were out having a little grill-out thing and even the twins didn't dress alike. That's Kati and that's Kari. They have a similar shirt; everybody has got one of these. I had one that's purple with gold letters that says you know East Carolina; one of them has the gold shirt and one of them has a gray shirt and John has a blue shirt--all different colors. And there she is; see we all have--.

Martin Tschetter:

Well so let's see; you were involved in the Sign Language Club?

Carrie Rogers:

Right.

Martin Tschetter:

Did you have anything else or--?

Carrie Rogers:

That--I did a little bit with RHA but not a whole lot.

Martin Tschetter:

I'm sorry; RHA is--?

Carrie Rogers:

That was the Residence Hall Association.

Martin Tschetter:

Were you like--? It was I'm sorry--you represented--you were representing the dorm kind of?

Carrie Rogers:

Well it was like we didn't--we had our own little Council in Aycock and they had little meetings like once a month. And sometimes I'd go down there and do stuff with them. And they like--I think we could do--blah, blah, blah--whatever or yeah I like that idea; let's try it because they were all for like trying some different stuff and for the--we were the king of the halls or the queen of the halls--whatever it was that little battle of the halls. We were the top person for like two or three years and that was fun. I actually fell one time out behind Scott Hall

and busted my face. And it was funny because this dude saw me; I don't know who he was. And he came over and he said ma'am are you okay? And then he--then you know I'm getting up and he said your face looks bad. And I'm thinking well what did I just do--rearrange my face or something? [Laughs] So anyway I went back to my dorm--I was going somewhere, walking, and he--he was like you look bad. So I go back to my dorm and I assess the damage and it was kind of ugly. I went to the ER because it was a Sunday afternoon. And you know I--I was like I don't--I actually got one of the Nursing Students in my dorm that--that was an RA she was like a senior Nursing Student and she was like I'd go get that checked out but you know [at the ER] they said you'll be okay after you know they cleaned me up and everything. And I said all right; so but you know when I got back to my dorm one of the guys that lived on the first floor said, who beat you up? Nobody; I kind of met the sidewalk. He was like I was getting ready to say I was going to go find that boy and hurt him. And I was like no; it was me. But that was kind of funny because that was one of the guys that--didn't know who I was and I was like yeah; I'm all right really, okay.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; yeah that was a bad--bad fall?

Carrie Rogers:

Yeah; it was kind of ugly.

Martin Tschetter:

What--how did you end up deciding on your Major? Is it like just--?

Carrie Rogers:

That was a process of elimination. Then I went onto Gardner Webb University which that was a culture shock and I didn't like it. If I had gone there first I would not have graduated from college ever I don't think because they have really, really strict rules. Like at ECU housing visitation in the dorms is your daddy, your brother, your cousin, your best guy friend from home, a guy downstairs--any guy you can bring to your room if you're a female and

you know you can close the door and do whatever. I mean if you're just sitting there and watching a movie fine but if you're going to sit there and do something else that's fine, too. But you know at Gardner Webb their rules were so stupid; they didn't care who it was you were not allowed to have a male in your room--your daddy, your grandpa, your uncle--nobody in your room with the door shut. Now you know what? I understand they're a Christian based college and they may not want you doing things they think is wrong but what am I going to do with my daddy or my uncle--nothing that I'm not supposed to. I mean you know why don't you trust me a little bit? [Laughs]

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah.

Carrie Rogers:

And I just thought that was a really stupid rule and their visitation hours were really, really strict and--. Like Monday through Thursday it was one thing; Friday was something else; Saturday was something else; Sunday was another one. I'm like you know that's four different visitation hours; why don't you make it simple? Because at ECU it was 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. period--any day of the week and the doors opened--the doors shut--it doesn't matter; you're 18 and you figure it out you know. [Laughs]

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; yeah.

Carrie Rogers:

So--

Martin Tschetter:

Now when you went to Gardner--you went to Gardner Webb?

Carrie Rogers:

Gardner Webb; yes.

Martin Tschetter:

That's--that's in where?

Carrie Rogers:

That's in Boiling Springs which is near Shelby.

Martin Tschetter:

Okay; that's right.

Carrie Rogers:

It's west of Charlotte.

Martin Tschetter:

And what--you went there and you got a second degree?

Carrie Rogers:

I got a degree there for--I got a Bachelor of Science from East Carolina in Family and Community Services; then I went to Gardner Webb and got a Bachelor of Arts in American Sign Language.

Martin Tschetter:

Oh okay because that was a sign language emphasis--?

Carrie Rogers:

Yeah; that--that was for the sign language which I actually use information from both schools because I can actually use some information I pulled from the CDFR, Family Community Services and use that information working with the kids and the sign language working with the kids because that way they're still kids and they're deaf. And I have to deal with their families sometimes too. Like sometimes I get to go to the IEP meetings and you know--.

Martin Tschetter:

What--what's that; I'm sorry?

Carrie Rogers:

IEP is Individual Education Plan and that's--that basically gives them whatever services they need such as an interpreter. So my job is written into their plan and that's how the government says okay we will pay X,Y,Z salary like whatever on a classified employee versus certified which is just teachers who they consider certified but I still have to go to like 15-hours of classes every year to keep my job.

Martin Tschetter:

Hmm; did--well did--so let's see. I'll just be a second. How about--did--I know you--I saw on the email there was reference to--there was a teacher or maybe a few teachers that you really had a good relationship with?

Carrie Rogers:

I had a few people; Don Joyner was a really helpful person. He--I had him my third semester there. He was somebody that you know was very helpful with like this is how you do it and he was fun because you know he wasn't the kind that would stand there and say this is what you need to know--blah, blah, blah; I mean you know he had you in the--really getting into it. You had to work; you actually wanted to go to that class because he was funny. And Mrs. Allie Murphy, she was a housekeeper in Aycock and she was there four out of my four and half years of college and that was fun, you know because you know I--I get Christmas cards from her now and that's really interesting.

Martin Tschetter:

Wow.

Carrie Rogers:

And actually I was interviewed for--sort of for the--for the Daily Reflector, the Greenville paper when I was graduating and they actually quoted me in there and they had a picture from graduation and up at the top--whatever it was I said--I didn't bring that with me today but I've got it at home--whatever it was that I said this lady thought was really good and the main picture has that quote written across the top. And then down in the article it said Carrie Rogers said blah, blah, blah and I said that's me. I thought of that and you know that was interesting but Mrs. Allie, I wouldn't have never known that I was in the paper except she cut it out. And she sort of marked the area where I was quoted and wrote me a note and said "was this you" because she knew my name. And you know she was really concerned when she hadn't seen me for a week when my dad died because you know I left on a Tuesday and I came back on a Tuesday. Actually I think my mom and my aunt and uncle drove me back and then when I graduated from Gardner Webb there was one test that my graduation from there was hinging on and I had just retaken the test and my aunt and uncle, my mom's older brother and his wife, who

have both passed away recently, they said you know what. We're--we're tired of waiting to give you your graduation gift for Gardner Webb but here it is. And they gave me a ring that I now wear for like special occasions and stuff but it's a gold ring with a purple stone.

Martin Tschetter:

Oh wow.

Carrie Rogers:

And you knew that I was not very fond of Gardner Webb but they knew Carrie loves ECU and their colors are purple and gold and you know--.

Martin Tschetter:

That's cool.

Carrie Rogers:

And you know I've got some--I got a guy friend well it's really my daddy's friend. He actually came to pick me up when my mom couldn't because she had--had surgery on her foot that day and when I wrecked my car named Blackbeard that I had gotten for graduating from ECU he actually came to get me. He likes Ford and I drive Chevrolet. My old car and my new car are Chevrolet and he was like stupid Chevrolet; shouldn't drive a Chevrolet. But anyway you know--I said well I found two Fords I like. They're both Mustangs and he said you got six [you've sense] and he's an NC State fan. He didn't go to college but the school he likes and I said you don't understand. I want them both because one is purple and gold; they're perfect. He was like I should have known. So you know he always picks on me about that too.

Martin Tschetter:

That's cool.

Carrie Rogers:

But Mrs. Allie she was really you know helpful with like if I needed to talk after my grandma or my daddy died she'd listen. I might follow her into the bathroom and she'd be cleaning the bathroom and you know that was like therapy and that was--she was really nice and everything.

Martin Tschetter:

Well just having an ear is really helpful sometimes. I mean and all that you know--.

Carrie Rogers:

And Dr. Markowski was really helpful with you know making sure my schedule was right and everything. And he was in the CDFR Department and so was Dr. Ruben Anguiano. Now the first time I ever heard that say his name, he introduced himself, he was like my name is Dr. Ruben Anguiano and I'm thinking excuse me? I don't get that name. And then he said it slow after somebody said we didn't get that. And he was like Ruben Patricia Viramontez Anguiano. Oh well we get it now but the way he said it was like one word and I don't speak enough Spanish.

Martin Tschetter:

And he was in the Sign Language?

Carrie Rogers:

He was in the CDFR Department which was my main major, the Family and Community Services Classes and he was really understanding because he was one of the teachers I had when my dad died, so he was understanding and you know worked with me. Only one person there wasn't very nice during that time and that was the Health teacher. I had a First Aid class back then; he just wasn't very understanding. I had a friend from home who had come after I did to ECU and it was required both--for both of us to take this First Aid and CPR class and he--he said, you know because she had actually come home. That was Easter weekend that my daddy died so I actually--I think we had Monday or Friday off. And he said--'because--I need an obituary. People lie about stuff like that so I need an obituary. And the way--just the tone of his voice was just really snappy and not very nice.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; that's not very professional either.

Carrie Rogers:

I said--I'm thinking it was my daddy. I mean I've heard of people making up grandma or grandpa or aunt, cousin--other people but not your daddy. And my friend, Brandi, had come home and her dad was one of my dad's good friends and her dad actually been away

on a business trip and my dad and her dad were part of a group of guys that used to go fishing together when we were little. And he--her dad had found out through a mutual friend that my dad was really sick and that mutual [friend] kept calling him and giving him updates and stuff and when he found out my daddy died he left his business trip, flew home immediately, and didn't even stop by his own house to see his wife and kids. He came straight to my house to visit us. And then you know Brandi came by the funeral home for the visitation; I don't remember if she was at the funeral or not, but even at the visitation I mean she saw my daddy's body laying there and she could see he was gone. And she had you know gone--I didn't even know she did--did this until after I got back to school. And she said you know I told Mr. or Dr. or whoever that you know your dad died and that's why you weren't here. And I was like thanks for doing that and then you know I went up to say what mark [work] did I miss or I need to reschedule my test or whatever because I'm not ready to take it and that's when he was just nasty with me. And like put the rude tone of voice and everything and I'm like--but you know I had sort of predicted one and I had one. So I just went to the basement computer lab at Aycock and copied it there and gave it to him with my name highlighted you know where it says daughter, Carrie Rogers and--you know that was just not the best little situation there but--. That was the only person staff-wise that I remember having a bad attitude with me or anything.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; it's not--it's not really fair either.

Carrie Rogers:

And there was a music teacher, Dr. Schultz, I think was his name--

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah.

Carrie Rogers:

And he was really nice and understanding during that time. And that was actually the second semester I had him. The first semester was just like a Music Appreciation something

and he--he was really nice then and he was joking with me and this other girl because you know I'm Carrie Rogers but Carrie Rogers was also sitting next to me in the class. He sat us in alphabetical order. There was a girl there--her first name and last name--identical to mine. The only difference was I came first in the alphabet because my middle initial is E and hers was L. And he was like are y'all related? Um, no; we just met each other. [Laughs] I didn't know she existed until five minutes ago. So that was interesting; yeah since then I have met a couple other Carrie Rogers people. One of them was actually a parent [volunteer] at my first school job; and then I--her husband called one day and the people that were there weren't thinking. The only difference between our names was her last name has a D and mine does not. And then when he asked for Carrie Rogers you know they used the intercom in my room and said hey, Carrie, you have a phone call line whatever, so I went right next door where there was a phone and picked up that line and said hello, this is Carrie? And he's like I need to speak with Carrie Rodgers and this goes back a couple of times. I am Carrie. No; I need to talk to Carrie Rodgers. I am Carrie Rogers. And he was like I'm trying to call my wife. And I'm like--and then he was like my name is Kevin. And I'm thinking every guy I know named Kevin I didn't like him [that well] so I definitely wouldn't have married him. [Laughs] So he must be looking for the parent [volunteer]. And I was like whose room is she supposed to be in and he told me and that was just a few doors down. So I told my co-worker that was in the classroom with me, I said I'll be right back. So anyway I went down the hall and said you know is--actually the teacher that whose room she was supposed to be in was down the hall. I was like Carrie Rodgers, is she here, and she was looking at me kind of funny thinking you are Carrie Rogers. [Laughs] That was a funny story.

But you know my current employment and my ECU time it was both times there was another one of me--

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah, yeah; yeah.

Carrie Rogers:

And we don't--I mean we're all the same race and gender but that's about where the similarities stop.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; there's bound to be a Kerry Rogers that's a guy too.

Carrie Rogers:

Probably but I doubt he spells his name like me. It's probably C-a-r-y or K-e-r-r-y, but--. And you know my parents would come visit me some at ECU. By late December [1998] daddy was sick so that didn't happen a whole lot. Sometimes we'd go to ballgames and stuff but that was a little hard for dad with the Parkinson's disease and stuff.

Martin Tschetter:

That was probably pretty special for him.

Carrie Rogers:

Yeah; he liked football anyway because we--when I was in high school we'd go to football games here and I usually worked during the summers and I only had--I had two--Billy Whitehurst was my Work Study Supervisor when I did Work Study one year and he was pretty funny. As a sign language interpreter, I'm not supposed to have a whole lot of flashy fingernail polish on there which I don't but back then I had a color of the week, every--like every Friday, Saturday or Sunday I'd take off the old and put on the new. And he was like all right; what color are your hands this week--because after a while he figured out that it changed like every week and I actually had some purple polish that I'd put gold glitter polish on.

Martin Tschetter:

That's kind of neat.

Carrie Rogers:

That was kind of fun and I could get by with that you know.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; yeah, good accessory. Did--did you feel that you were academically prepared in school? I mean did you ever feel like what am I doing here?

Carrie Rogers:

There were moments when I thought--like College Algebra--that was not my friend. I had a math issue but I--I passed it. When I passed it I was extremely happy. I called my mommy and she was like Carrie, there is no reason to be that thrilled. She was like thrilled is an A or a B. Yeah; but you know--you got like a C or D. That's not a good reason to be happy. But I was like but mama I passed it and that's all I care. Yeah; it was not my friend.

Martin Tschetter:

Did--did--well it sounds like you had a good relationship with your family and even your extended family which is really awesome to hear.

Carrie Rogers:

My dad's brother like I said, he is sporadically in my life but that's--that's his fault--not mine because I've had the same permanent address my whole life. If he really wanted me he would find me. And it's not that he lives that far from me because you were already here when I told you I was on my way and I wasn't that far from my--my home then and you know it did not take me long to reach this Library. He lives maybe 10 minutes down the street from this Library and he chooses not to have anything to do with me. But that's his choice.

Martin Tschetter:

Is there any other--did you have any other animosity--not necessarily animosity but did you--I mean cousins or friends--or friends or whatever that you went to school--I mean was there any friction there?

Carrie Rogers:

One of my friends there's been friction off and on our lives and she actually went to ECU for a year with me. She was the one that was there my third year when my grandma and my dad died and she was really great that year. But you know--but our whole life has been that way

and we've known each other since I was like five days--five to fifteen days old just when we met if you'll call it that but we grew up together so it was like whatever it is we don't care.

Martin Tschetter:

I mean was there anyone that said why are you going to college you know or what's up with that?

Carrie Rogers:

No; a lot of my friends went to college. Some of them didn't but a lot of them did and we might have rivalries but--

Martin Tschetter:

Like State, Carolina and that kind of thing?

Carrie Rogers:

That kind of thing but it was the friendly kind--because I've known people at State, Carolina--

Martin Tschetter:

Appalachian?

Carrie Rogers:

--Appalachian, Western and I know somebody at Western now and [I] actually would not consider Western because one of my uncles--the one I said doesn't have much to do with me he--one of his oldest sons went to Western and hated it. On my mom's side of the family her older brother's middle son he went there and hated it and they are complete opposites so I'm more like the one on my mom's side of the family and he was like whatever. I don't like it and you know I--my personality if I had to pick one to be like it would be him. The funny thing is he's the only other person on that side of the family to go to college and graduate. So you know I guess we're both on that same little path. He's actually a police officer in Davidson now, you know Davidson College?

Martin Tschetter:

Oh yeah.

Carrie Rogers:

But you know he called his mom and said I hate this place; come get me. I will pay my way through school because he had a scholarship to Western but he was like I hate it. I think

if the two of them hate it I'm just not even going to try there. But then I met most of my friends at ECU through classes and stuff and with my friends here, like I said a lot of them went to college and [or] at least attempted to go, you know at least two or three years but the worst there ever was--was like a friendly rivalry or joking with like--. One of them went down to Pfeiffer University and I was like yeah; who would want to go to PU, uh-huh; it must smell bad or something you know--making jokes like that about it.

Martin Tschetter:

Well what--what was--so I saw you had a picture in here of graduation. What was that like?

Carrie Rogers:

Graduation, that was kind of fun; it actually had snowed right before graduation. It was like 14-inches, which I'm sure--you live near Greenville, you know. [Laughs] That's not an every year occurrence. And I was down there at ECU through Floyd and Dennis and stuff, so you know that was fall of '99 and you know there was that phrase that somebody somewhere said "come hell or high water I'm going to do something." Well I had my semester from hell because you know December of '98 after--over Christmas break I fell and fractured my foot. And they just basically had to say wrap it and be careful because of where I broke it right in the--I think it's like the fifth metatarsal right there, my little toe, so if they had put a cast on it, it wouldn't have done me any good. So they said wrap it with an ace bandage and be careful and take ibuprofen as needed for pain and swelling. Then in January '99 the first couple of days my mom's mom, one of her sisters--she has many but one of them passed away. The very next day I go into the same hospital on the same floor, opposite side of the hall as a patient because I need emergency surgery. I don't know; it was a Sunday--the first Sunday of '99 I was awaiting surgery Monday to get my gallbladder taken out.

Martin Tschetter:

Wow.

Carrie Rogers:

That was a lot of fun. And I was determined to start that semester at ECU. I was like I want to go back to ECU and I told my mama that I was driving back on Saturday after I had surgery on Monday and she said no; you're not. I said watch me because I got [out of] on the hospital on Tuesday. They had to keep me overnight because--again, so I spent two nights in the hospital. And my daddy was there and he was like she is not having surgery at that hospital with me sitting at home. I'm going to that hospital when she's having surgery and I--and even though he was really sick and my mom's older brother and his wife were there the whole time that I was in surgery. And I'd actually had my ears re-pierced. I had let them grow shut. And I had them re-pierced like during that Christmas break and my mama wouldn't put my earrings back in after surgery. My aunt had to because she [mom] was like I'm going to hurt you; I'm going to hurt you. Mama it won't hurt; do it when I get back. And I was--mama said there were two things when I woke up from my surgery. I wanted to know how many holes I had because I didn't know if I was going to have the laparoscopic surgery where they just poke four holes in you or if I was going to have the big cut. She was like you didn't have the bit cut; you've got one extra little hole. You'll be okay. [Laughs] And I was like okay. I want my earrings in. That was all I cared about--how many holes I had and whether or not I had my earrings in. And you know my friends--my mom called my friends and after I got home that day on Tuesday one of them called--one of the twins called down and was like how are you? I'm like I'm okay; I'm coming back to school on Saturday. She's like you're crazy, because school started then on Monday and you know--I was like I'm coming. And Thursday, when I went back for my checkup after they had let me out of the hospital on Tuesday, I went back to the surgeon on Thursday for a checkup and

he released me and my--he was in a practice with some other surgeons and my mom liked one of the others because he had actually done surgery on both of my parents for different things. And he said you know if she feels like she can drive back to ECU, let her; she just can't lift stuff more than like five or ten pounds for a while, which is a typical after-surgery direction. So mama got my stuff loaded back in my vehicle or back in my truck and we--and I drove back to ECU on Saturday and I got one of my girls that lived on my hall, I got her to come down and pick up my suitcase and bring it upstairs for me because I said look; I've had surgery and I really need to get my suitcase up here. So she was like I'll go out and get it for you. And she took it up for me and then I had left a couple like--some drinks or something in my car that Jon went down and got for me later. And he--he was real nice about helping me with bringing my books in because we went book shopping together that semester. And so I was really determined to come back to school, so you know that's the beginning. And then you know okay January the surgery, February my grandma died, March my daddy died, and then I moved home in May of that year and in June I saw a fatal wreck so that's my part of hell that's over--because it was really bad.

And then without knowing you know these floods were coming that following fall of '99 I was like you know what mama; I made it through hell and now I'm just waiting on some high water. Well the high water came with the floods that year.

Martin Tschetter:

What was that like being at ECU?

Carrie Rogers:

That was--that was not exactly stress-free either.

Martin Tschetter:

I mean--excuse me--in the dorm I mean did they lose power and everything?

Carrie Rogers:

The last night I was there they lost power. They had--we had sort of suspected. I had been through enough; I had been through like several other--I was there I think when Fran or

Josephine and some other people came through you know--hurricane names. I thought I'll just ride it out again. I mean I knew that just in case the power went out I needed to have like some bottled water or juices or sodas or something to drink and I needed to have like canned food or something that I could--didn't have to heat up and just in case I needed to sort of you know--yeah.

Martin Tschetter:

Find something to eat.

Carrie Rogers:

Or you know I had some stuff like that and I just wasn't really worried but I remember going over--I think that was after Scully's had moved from downtown 5th Street up to--right up beside the Harris Teeter in the old Strip Mall. That was I think where Scully's was and I remember going there thinking I just want to go out here and look around and before I got to Harris Teeter and the lady was like--we were talking about the weather and it looked really bad and I'm like I had never seen clouds that dark here and she was like it looks like it's going to be a bad one. We just didn't know how bad it was going to be. But the morning after we lost power and I had trouble sleeping that night because I was used to hearing like--I guess light bulbs or something in the hall and that kind of thing, the fans going and other people's noises. It was so quiet it was eerily quiet, so you had trouble sleeping because I was used to the noise. And that was just different.

But my RA came by and said ya'll have got to go; we're being evacuated. I'm like where am I supposed to go? Sixty-four--264 it's closed; I can't go that way. She said I don't know where you're going but you can't stay here.

Martin Tschetter:

Wow; so what--what did you end up doing?

Carrie Rogers:

I had my truck and a little while later, we--Garrett and Jeremy and a couple other people that were headed this way, we were actually seeing if anybody needed a ride home or at least closer t to home, the closer to home we could get them the better because they didn't have vehicles themselves. And I actually took two people with me that live in Charlotte and we hung out at my house for a little while until their parents could get up this way and we figured their parents should meet us at a gas station near an exit and they came up and they got them from there. But we just went home because you know I threw stuff in the back of my truck. We knew to make sure everything was secured and not just leave an open Food Lion or Harris Teeter bag back there but make sure everything was secured in a suitcase and something and we just threw everything in the back and put ourselves in the front. And right after my RA came through within you know the hour my building's coordinator came up and said you know 64--264 is open for now. We don't know when it might get closed again so you better get out of here if you're going that way. And I was like okay; thank you. And then I was a little upset because I couldn't reach my mama and by that point my daddy was gone and she didn't know I was coming home.

So anyway I call my grandmother, her mother's house, and her sister lives with her mom and her mom was like somewhere else but my aunt answered the phone. And I said I can't find my mommy and I'm being evacuated you know. I was just all stressed out [Laughs] and you know with all the other stuff that had happened that year, an evacuation was not on my list of friendly things to do.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; I'm sure.

Carrie Rogers:

So especially not knowing when I was going to be allowed back and you know I--I had seen--I had to tell them though you know I went down College Hill to get out because I

knew if I went on 14th Street behind College Hill there was a car wash place and there was a place in the road that always got flooded there and I didn't really want to drive through that. So I drove to the bottom of the hill and right in front of Brewster there is that [inaudible] and the cement median in the middle of the road--

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah.

Carrie Rogers:

--there was tobacco laying on there from the tobacco storage warehouse that was up there on the corner like diagonal across from the Jolly Roger, straight across the street from Harris Teeter. And you know you had to go like four blocks one way and like one or two--maybe even three blocks another way to get from where it was to where it started, you know--from where it started and where it ended were several blocks in the total opposite direction. So there had been a lot of water moving through that town.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; yeah.

Carrie Rogers:

And when the flooding actually started the day before you know the bottom of College Hill was flooded for a while. I mean you could not walk through it and there was a kid--he was 18; he was a freshman that year. I was 21 at that time and he was a freshman and he died; he was--his body was found down in the commuter lot at the bottom of the hill.

Martin Tschetter:

Wow; did you know him?

Carrie Rogers:

I didn't know him but that was kind of creepy when we went back and you know I'm walking down the hill to classes and I'm thinking you know some kid died over there that was one of our fellow classmates. I mean I didn't know him but--

Martin Tschetter:

Still being young that's tough though.

Carrie Rogers:

Yeah; that was interesting. He--I felt kind of sorry for his family you know. They had another child there too and I remember seeing the Tar River Apartments and how bad they looked. Even after a couple of my friends moved over into some of those apartments years later, they like in--I don't even remember what year I went back down there, and they were still pretty ugly looking, looked like water lines on it and stuff. That was different.

Martin Tschetter:

What about--thanks for sharing that I mean because that's a whole time--or you know it definitely affected the school--the University and all, so what--what--? Do you--can you remember anything like graduating and what that was like? Did you have some family come down?

Carrie Rogers:

Graduation--for the little Department graduation that year which is what that one picture or two pictures--whatever is from--yeah there it is--that one, it was in a little theater over at Mendenhall I think.

Martin Tschetter:

Okay.

Carrie Rogers:

And that was--you know that was my family.

Martin Tschetter:

And who is who?

Carrie Rogers:

This is my grandmother, my mama's mom; that was my mom's brother. He died a little over a year ago and that's me and then his wife is the little white-headed lady there. She just died this past February and that's my mama's sister there. And they came down.

Martin Tschetter:

Is your--your mama is not in here?

Carrie Rogers:

My mom is taking the picture. So and that's my mama's door right there, the white door of her van. But that was after graduation in Minges [Coliseum] . The

big December graduation, Dr. Eakin, Richard Eakin, was the Chancellor that year or that was like his last year as Chancellor I think; and he actually gave the commencement speech that day.

Martin Tschetter:

Do you remember what he said?

Carrie Rogers:

I don't remember much of what he said but I remember it was an interesting one.

Martin Tschetter:

All screwed up?

Carrie Rogers:

Oh yeah [Laughs] and he--he talked about how he loved being at ECU and all that fun stuff. And ECU was I mean out outside of the bad times--there were bad times, like the semesters I told you about the flooding, with the deaths in the family, and having surgery and everything but there were plenty of the fun times like in these pictures--they were fun times. I mean you know--

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; yeah that's part of college life.

Carrie Rogers:

--yeah; I mean you know I'll have--I don't--I don't know where we were at this point but we were clearly at a park with that background and clearly we like each other if they're going to drive all the way to Faith, North Carolina to see me.

Martin Tschetter:

Where does he live now?

Carrie Rogers:

Jon is actually much to my sorrow in Oregon.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah?

Carrie Rogers:

He lived in North Carolina for a while. He then moved to New York for a brief while. He then moved to California to work for a company and now he has a house in Oregon because he got a new job and transferred to Oregon where it's illegal to pump your own gas.

Martin Tschetter:

It is. I used to live there too.

Carrie Rogers:

He--I never knew that because I have never been to Oregon. But like this was my first dorm room here. We liked Sprites; we stuck Sprite bottles there. We had nothing else to stick on those little skinny shelves. [Laughs]

Martin Tschetter:

Is there--I'm trying to think; is it anything else that you can kind of think of that you'd want to share?

Carrie Rogers:

As you can see we had a lot of fun.

Martin Tschetter:

I got--yeah I got some good pictures of--.

Carrie Rogers:

And like here's the Homecoming Parade one year. For some reason I don't remember why--Jon was in the Parade, the Homecoming Parade. We spent a lot of time at the Galley; that's where we were there. For some reason I had trouble using that money on my account on my--like the Flex Dollars or whatever on the spending plan for the food so I'd say all right everybody. You go buy your own drinks but I'll pizza at the Galley. Come let's go and everybody liked pizza. Nobody was going to tell me no.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah.

Carrie Rogers:

Here's like the--some of the deaf people at a park. We were doing something and they came--and that was Jimmy. Everybody's vehicle had a name. One of them was Mini-Me, because Austin Powers was cool back then. That was Jimmy. My car was Blackbeard and you know excuse the language but Jon had the shit brown blazer because that's what it was. It was a Blazer and that's what color it was. But that's when you know--and you know we went to Pizza Hut here for my birthday because mine was an August birthday and there we were having cake in my mom's hotel room.

Like I said, I only went home pretty much for breaks and a few weekends.

Martin Tschetter:

Yeah; I mean you gave it--you, you know gave a well-rounded reply with everything and I mean on behalf of the University again thank you so much. You know I mean and especially stuff with your family and--and that all--that all affects things and--.

Carrie Rogers:

And we had birthday parties; that was a cake I baked for one of--for Doug and Jon. They're a year apart. Their birthday is October 9th; Doug was born in '77 and John in '78. Kari was gone that semester but that March I made Kati a Disneyworld cake.

Martin Tschetter:

Now did you--your mom still lives in the area?

Carrie Rogers:

Yeah; my mama still lives in Faith here. My whole family like I said pretty much still lives in this area. My aunt and uncle that were always there like the one--for my surgery and stuff they've died within the past little over a year. My uncle as of this March has been gone a year and then his wife died this past February, so like two or three months ago. And we had Kudo the cat; he lived with us. And he was funny and we were having fun at Mendon Hall here.

Martin Tschetter:

Oh yeah.

Carrie Rogers:

Because you know they had the Halloween stuff. Andy was in the Model UN Club. He was like a Political Science Major and he was trying to be some kind of Hitler or somebody.

Martin Tschetter:

Some Russian guy?

Carrie Rogers:

Yeah; I was a bum or a hobo--mismatched clothes and everything. And there's some stuff people did on the pumpkin carving. There's Andy again on a normal day. We were at somebody's house for a party. That was Baker; he was Jon's roommate one year in Scott Hall. He was funny, a Theater Major. Nicole was from Charlotte. She actually rode home with me a lot; she didn't have a car there. And then there's Susi and Matt; they were with the Sign

Language Club and we actually had a Relay for Life team which is--well I'm getting ready to go to my tenth Relay for Life this year.

Martin Tschetter:

Wow; awesome.

Carrie Rogers:

So I got started with that when I was at ECU you know and that's--since I've had relatives and stuff that had cancer and I mentioned my one friend that had died six years ago from that. So you know I got all kinds of reasons to just keeping that, so--.

Martin Tschetter:

Oh definitely--definitely.

Carrie Rogers:

We had fun--cookouts and stuff.

Martin Tschetter:

Well just again thank you so much for your time and you know like I mentioned before, you will get a transcript of this so you'll have it for your family. Anything else?

Carrie Rogers:

No.

Martin Tschetter:

You gave a very well-rounded interview.

[End Carrie Rogers Interview, Part 2]