Josh and Laura thought there house was under attack one day when they heard loud noises that sounded like gunshots. They panicked until they went upstairs and realized that the beer they were brewing had exploded because there was too much sugar in the mix.

We sat on an eclectic blue sofa and multi-colored arm chairs at Foam, located near Cherokee street in St. Louis, while Josh and Laura told me that they are originally from Nebraska. They moved to St. Louis in 2010 because Josh got a job as an environmental engineer working in air quality, something he had done an internship in during college and really enjoyed.

I asked, “So what does that entail? You just walk in and sniff the air?” Laura chimed in, “Pretty much! It’s crazy!” I wasn’t exactly correct. Josh works with large companies, household names that you would recognize, to help them get out of trouble with the EPA. Usually the company has already accrued a large fine and that’s when they contact him.

Josh and Laura met...you’ll never guess…at band camp! They both enjoy music, Laura played for a band in college and even auditioned for colleges to study piano performance, but she got burnt out on it. Instead, she studied social services.

Before moving here, Laura reached out to a new non-profit in the area called The Covering House. She volunteered for the first year and a half, until she was hired. Now she is developing their life skills program. The Covering House helps girls aged 12 to 18, who have had extensive sexual trauma, for example trafficking. The life skills program will help them learn how to cook, garden, take care of their physical fitness and more.

“We’ve had a lot of long distance in our relationship,” Laura said from the rocking chair where she sat. Josh and Laura have traveled pretty extensively throughout the U.S. but their favorite trips took them outside of the country and their comfort zones.

In 2008 Josh flew into an airport, took a 4 person airplane to a native village and then canoed up a river for 5 hours until he reached Angel Falls, where he spent the night in a hammock. He was in Venezuela for the summer doing research near the Colombian border and decided to take the trip to see the waterfalls. He also took a day trip to a lagoon where he jumped off a 20 foot waterfall into a freshwater pool. “There was no one there, it was amazing…”

The following year Laura went to Argentina. “I just goofed around, but it was one of the greatest experiences of my life.” She Googled a family who would let her come stay with them and it was kind of sketchy...but she didn’t tell her family that. They were social workers too, who were opening a home for mentally disabled kids and she contributed to their efforts. On the weekends she traveled and on one particular 24 hour road trip she went with a guy she had met. They drove to the Iguazu waterfalls, between Brazil and Argentina. When they arrived Laura started crying, no doubt because of the amazing view. Her friend, who didn’t speak much english, pulled out a joint, lit up and said, “This all I want...to see waterfall and smoke a weed.”

Josh and Laura are forcing their disparate groups of friends to get to know each other, through food! “There’s something special about eating together.” They regularly host food-centered events at their apartment where “we make them food and force them to talk to each other.” Sometimes they even manage to squeeze about 30 people into their 700 square foot apartment. That would force you to mingle! I warned them that they wouldn’t want me there and told them about the lavender cookies I baked that were NOT a hit.

Once again conversation turned to books and Laura surprised me by recommending one of my favorites, ‘Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain’. We enthused over Oliver Sacks’ writing style and how he “tricks” you into learning about the brain.

After a 2 hour conversation, we all hit the road. But it didn’t end there (it never does). Josh sent me an incredibly nice e-mail telling me how much they enjoyed our conversation. They also sent out an e-mail to many of their friends about their experience. It just keeps growing!

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This blog is to tell the stories, good or bad, of St. Louisans as they are told to me. This is the story of Marshelle. A woman who almost "went postal" when she took on the United States Postal Service.

Marshelle worked two jobs for many years in order to support her 8 children, purchase her home and pay her bills. For 16 years she worked at the Postal Service and for the past 8 she has also worked as a cab driver. She had no complaints about either job until she tried to receive $8,000 in back pay that she believed she was owed.

One day, after she made a phone call regarding her back pay, a female co-worker became angry with her and tried to stick a pen in Marshelle’s eye. Marshelle says this was an attempt to get her to retaliate so she could be fired. Instead of retaliating, she went into the restroom and overdosed on pain pills. The person who found her made a statement supporting her case and stood by her throughout the entire 5 year ordeal (this witness, and Marshelle’s friend, was shot and killed in 2009).

Marshelle filed a workman’s comp claim for the incident. After returning to work, her desk was moved and she was forced to sit directly in front of the woman who had harassed her with the ink pen. This began a downward spiral for Marshelle. She began bringing a weapon to work, she filed 3 complaints, and she signed up for mediation but USPS didn’t respond.

It was then that Marshelle filed in federal court. She had to sell her home to pay for everything and she and her 8 kids moved into a motel. While living here she met another family in a similar situation. In an attempt to tell her story, Marshelle has enlisted the help of the mother of this family and has helped them in return by paying their rent. “People ask why I’m helping this other family...I understand. She’s depressed,” Marshelle said as she started to cry. As a matter of fact, she had asked this other woman to join us for coffee, but she refused because she thought she was too ugly. “This is what’s in my heart to do…”

During our chat, she briefly mentioned that the case had settled, but that’s as much as she disclosed.

Imagine if Marshelle’s drama were actually a comedy. I can’t quite picture it, myself. But Marshelle says that comedy has helped her get through her ordeal. She’s hoping to have her story turned into a movie with a message, but to make it a comedy.

To stay positive, she has begun organizing an annual comedy competition. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to organizations in St. Louis because, “there are a lot of organizations out there, doing a lot of wonderful things, that nobody knows about.”

Interpret Marshelle’s story however you will. It was pleasant to meet her and see her resilience and that’s what I took from our meeting.


Here is a brief video of Marshelle's story.
Here is audio of Marshelle's story.