Carmen Maria Rodriguez, 37, was born in San Antonio, Texas. She was the eighth of nine children born to Mario and Marcella Rodriguez, both first-generation immigrants from Mexico.
Carmen rarely had anything new of her own, as her clothes and toys were all hand-me-downs. But her older siblings doted on her until her baby brother was born. Aldo was a great surprise to everyone and suddenly received the lion's share of the family's attention, which left Carmen feeling neglected and resentful.
To get the attention she craved, she became the class clown and enjoyed making other kids laugh. She started dating later than most of her peers and only had one real romance in her teens, which broke up after a spectacularly nasty fight when Carmen found out the boy was cheating on her with several different girls.
After high school, Carmen worked various part-time waitressing and clerical jobs to put herself through San Antonio College, studying for a general business degree. Her favorite job was waitressing at a comedy club, where she occasionally got stage time.
Thirteen years ago, Carmen married Alberto Castella, a plumber's assistant. The couple was eager to start a family, but medical testing revealed that Carmen was infertile. She wanted to adopt, but Alberto felt a biological child was essential to carry on his family name.
When Alberto's mistress became pregnant, and an ultrasound revealed she was expecting a boy, Alberto moved in with her and petitioned the Catholic Church to annul his nine-year marriage. Devastated and humiliated, Carmen agreed the marriage was dead and didn't contest the annulment.
She got a chance at a new life two years ago when Willie King and his band Sugar Whiskey came to town. Willie and Carmen started talking after his first set and hit it off immediately. They were inseparable during the next two weeks that Willie and his band played clubs in the San Antonio area.
When Willie returned to Oxford, his attraction to her didn't fade, and he soon asked her to join him in Oxford. Confident that they had a future together because Willie had no children and said he didn't want any, Carmen didn't hesitate, and she quickly settled into Oxford life.
When Willie went on the road, she often went along, sometimes getting stage time in comedy clubs in the cities where he was playing. Once in Jackson, Mississippi, she caught Willie with a groupie, but he swore he was only keeping her company until Hound Dog, the band's drummer, got back from the store. Despite Willie's denial, Carmen grew increasingly jealous after that and rarely left Willie alone, especially on the road.
A year after she moved to Oxford, Carmen learned Willie had been arrested on cocaine and marijuana charges the year before she met him. He pointed out that all the charges were dropped, so Carmen took him at his word that he wasn't involved with drugs, but she remained wary. Recently, she has suspected Willie's band members of covering for him and what Carmen believes is his burgeoning drug habit.
Carmen is currently a stand-up comic in Oxford under her stage name of Carmen Gettit. She also handles the business side of Willie King's band and occasionally works as a cashier at Square Books.