HALF A LOAF Chapter 13 SALLY RETURNS

 

 

 

With school year completed and holding the top grades in the class, Laney and I felt our efforts were well rewarded.

 

My boss, (Lionel David Rydal) L.D. as everyone called him looked over my grades and said, “You have done well. 

I have you all setup for Stanford when you get your BA.  I have it on the QT that if you spend this summer and the next one taking classes you can graduate a year early.”

 

I said, “I suppose I could do that…”  

 

He cut me off and said, “There’s no need to waste a whole year when you’ve got business to take care of.”

 

I thought, “Wow; I’ve got big business to take care of… I wonder what it is!”   

 

I agreed it would be best to get on with business.  

 

He said, “I’m glad you see it my way,” as he turned and went to his office.

 

It was obvious L.D. had plans for me.  It had to be because of the photos I recovered from those fools who only wanted to do harm to Sally.  

 

They didn’t have any idea what they were getting into when they started. Neither did the ones who violated Sally’s person by drugging her.

 

Having a little character and being repulsed by the whole affair was what made the difference between them and me.

 

Sally was due to return home this weekend and I must admit I was a little nervous about seeing her again.  

 

Her mother came down to the office for lunch with L.D. and when she saw me she said they were having a welcome home party for Sally and for me to come.  


She said,"Sally asked me to be sure to invite you especially and to bring a friend if you wanted to."

 

It had been two years since I saw her and I wondered how much she had changed.  I know I have matured a great deal and I suppose she has also.

 

I called Laney and brought her up to date on what was happening.  She said she was sticking to the regular college schedule and would graduate as planned.

 

I told her I wanted her to attend Sally’s party with me.  

 

She laughed and said; “Sure, I want to meet the competition.”

 

That was a strange way for her to talk; she wouldn’t have said anything like that before last year’s vacation and her little fling.

 

“I suppose you will be glad to have her back here?” she said.

 

I replied, “I guess.”

 

She grinned and asked, “How intimate were you with her?”

 

I said, “Some,” and immediately the image of her flashing her breasts before she left for Princeton and saying it was something to remember her by came to mind and caused me to redden.

 

Looking at my red face Laney said, “Oh that intimate!”

 

I said, “Cut that out it was nothing like you are thinking.”

 

She said, “Relax I was just poking fun at you.  That is your business and yes I would like to see her again.”

 

“Do you know her? I asked.

 

“I have met her a few times but we’re not what you would call friends.”

 

I told Laney, “I feel strange seeing her again.”

 

Laney said, “Forget that, just say hello when you see her and see where it leads.  Let her dictate how far it goes.”

 

I thought to myself, “You sure don’t sound jealous. I thought you had certain feelings for me that would cause you to be a little jealous.”

 

All at once Laney looked serious and said, “What happens will happen just make sure it is what you want to happen and don’t only be manipulated by someone else’s plans.

 

With that I said, “Let’s get some thing to eat.  All this talking has made me hungry.”

 

She said, “It has affected me the opposite way.  I’m not hungry at all.  I’ll see you later.”

 

She left me standing there so I yelled, “We have a date don’t we?”

 

She waved her hand and nodded yes.

 

I wondered if I handled that badly.  After a bit I decided it was the event more than what I had said that caused the tense feeling in the air.

 

On Saturday I went by to pick up Laney but she said she wanted to take her car in case she wanted to leave.

 

I told her to knock it off.  She was my date and if she wanted to leave, we would both cut out.  I said, “Just stay close to me and everything will be alright.”

 

She looked at me somewhat curiously and said, “Alright lead on.”

 

When we arrived I took Laney’s hand and we went into the festivities.

 

There were a lot of people Sally’s age and a lot of what I would guess to be their parents.  Sally was the main focus since it was her party but when she saw me she rushed oven and hugged and kissed me so hard I had to let Laney’s hand go.

 

I separated us and said, “Sally this is Laney.”

 

Sally said, “I know Laney, hi how are you?  Have you been taking good care of my man?”

 

Laney said, “Yes but not as well as you would have if you had been here.”

 

Sally took Laney’s hand and they walked off talking.

 

I felt left out so I did what guys always do when left alone; I went to the food table.  I saw such food like I never saw at home.  

 

I found the plates and was about to load one up with food when L.D. came over and said, “There will be time for eating later.  I have some people you need to meet.”

 

He introduced me to some business associates which were a strange looking bunch.

 

You could tell they spent a lot of money for their clothes but they looked like they had slept in them.  They were just careless in caring for their clothes.

 

My clothes were cheap but I tried to have every thing matching and neatly pressed but these guys didn’t seem to care about that.

 

L.D. said, “You must learn from these men for fortunes are to be made.”  

 

It was obvious there was more to them than met the eye.  The consensus was they were looking forward to working with me and accepted me on the basis of L.D.s recommendation.

 

I still didn’t have a clue as to what I would be doing but tried to be agreeable with everything they were saying.  

 

I headed back over to the food table and Sally came over and started to talk to me.  

 

She said, “Let’s go somewhere it is quiet.”

 

I looked around and could see Laney engaged in conversation with some people she knew so I figured she would be entertained while I chatted with Sally.   We ended up in her bedroom and she said no one will bother us here.

To be Continued

HALF A LOAF Chapter 12 MY NEW STANDING

My New Standing

 

What I call my new standing was based on a flimsy concept that could change with a word.

If L.D. (Sally’s dad) fired me then I would be back to square one, but my association with him comes with at least some of his prestige.

 

My relationship with Laney remained as it was before, and as the days came and went, L.D. and I became closer.

 

I didn’t really know exactly what my job was but when someone wanted something done that wasn’t regular business they would call on me.

 

I must admit I had to do some strange things and met some odd people while doing “my job.”

 

One thing I noticed was, I always was treated with respect when dealing with these people.  There was never anything illegal as far as I could tell but some of it seemed to be a bit close.

 

At times I just delivered a message and returned with an answer, always this was done in a closed briefcase which was locked.

 

Some times one of the monster men would go with me and I wondered why he didn’t deliver the message himself.

 

When I asked L.D. about that he said he knew I would do it right and he trusted me.  It seems he and I became closer as time went by.

 

One day he called me into his large office, a place I didn’t get to visit very often.

 

He said, “Sit.”

 

So I sat.  Then he asked me just where I was heading for in the future.

 

I was surprised by that because I wasn’t sure.  I hoped to go to law school but the cost and the fact I couldn’t get into one of the prestigious schools made me be uncertain.  I figured I would get a business degree and settle for whatever job I could get.  Whatever it was it would be a big step above what my dad had to settle for.

 

I told him I had wanted to go to law school but that seemed beyond my means.  

 

He said aren’t you smart enough?  I said no my grades were sufficiently high enough and I believe I could pass the LSAT tests, but I might fall short other ways.

 

He asked, “What ways?”

 

I answered, “To get into the better universities beyond the outrageous costs, it’s who you know because of the high number of applicants.”

 

He said, “Do you like Stanford?”

 

I said, “Sure, it’s one of the best.”

 

He said, “Then you’re gong to Stanford.  You make sure you take care of your grades and I will do the rest.”

 

I sat there with my mouth open and he said, ‘You can go.”

 

I knew this was too hard to believe.

 

Then he said, “Come back here for a minute.  You were friends with Sally in the past?”

 

I said, “I guess we are still kinda friends.”

 

He said, “What happened?  I thought you were pretty close, and again he said what happened?

 

I wasn’t sure how to answer that so I just said, “Princeton.  After she got involved, she began to lose interest in me and let it be known she wanted to go with out with other guys, - -that’s all.”

 

“You got a girl friend now? he asked.

 

I said, “Not really.  I hang out with a friend all the time, but there isn’t what you might call romance, we are just buddies.”

 

He said, “Okay; don’t give up on Sally just yet.”

 

I was weak in the knees as I left his office.  I didn’t want to think about all that had transpired in the last few minutes so I asked if anyone had anything they needed me to do.  All at once they dumped on me a whole lot of things that needed to be done.

 

It kept me busy until almost midnight.  Around eight Laney tracked me down and said she was back from her vacation and wanted to see me tomorrow.

 

I told her, I would like to have lunch with her and catch up with what was going on.

 

The next day I took a long lunch with Laney.

 

She had to tell me all about her vacation.  She had met this guy who she liked in a flirty kind of way.  Seems he stimulated something in her that had been dormant or that is one way to put it.  

 

During lunch she had a different look and it was almost amusing to me.  Finally she was coming out of her shell.

 

She said her eyes were improving and she no longer needed her glasses. That alone changed her appearance.  She had bought some new clothes, had styled her hair, and was looking very chic.

 

I said, “You didn’t?” and before I could finish she said, “No it didn’t happen.”

 

I just said, “Oh.”  Then I brought her up to date on what was happening with me and she was knocked for a loop so to speak.  

 

Afterward she said, “I have my work cut out for me.  I have to make sure you get the top grades around here.”

 

Then it was time to get back in school and the weeks seem to drag by.

 

I seldom saw L.D. and he didn’t talk to me except to say Sally was going to spend the summer at home and she no longer was at the sorority house.

 

That was it; there was no reason for saying anything else in his mind at least.

 

When talking to me it seemed his mind was somewhere else thinking about business or something.

 

Laney and I spent the school year doing most everything together.  She began to date more often and almost forced me at times to double date with her.  She would pick out a date for me and I was stuck with her but it was a fun thing to do anyhow.

 

Once she wanted to attend a social event and she told me I was going to be her date for that night.  It felt strange to have to get her a corsage and pick her up just like a real date.

 

The whole affair was… just like we were dating and after it was over and I walked her to her door she puckered up and said I’m waiting.

 

I decided okay and gave her my best effort at a goodnight kiss.  In fact I gave her a second one before saying, “I had fun, thank you and good night.   

 

As I left without looking back, I thought, “That is the first time I had kissed Laney and it wasn’t that bad, in fact it was good.

 

I wondered who she had been practicing with… oh well "C'est la vie".

 

To be Continued  

 

HALF A LOAF Chapter 11 I COULDN’T BELIEVE MY EYES

Un Believable!!
courtesy free clip art

 

My grades arrived and I was about forth in my major.  Of course Laney did a little better than me.  She left on vacation with her folks leaving me to my own devices.

I was working a full shift but in the evenings I began to study for my next years classes.  I went fishing with my dad, something I hadn’t done for some time.

Boredom was beginning to set in and all the things I used as a distraction were growing tiresome.  

One evening as I was leaving the market my three detestable schoolmates were being their loathsome selves and they were looking at what seem to be photos.  They called me over and said here is someone you might know.

They were scrutinizing some eight by ten glossy photos of a naked girl whom I recognized immediately as being Sally.  There were several pictures that showed a variety of different poses.  

Immediately I demanded they give them to me for they had no business with them.

 

They said they were going to have copies made and spread them all over the town. Then they began to make obscene remarks about her and were also making fun of me at the same time.

Once again I said for them to give the pictures to me.  The main man shoved me and said I would have to take them if I wanted them.

I was still carrying the brass knuckles I had bought over a year ago and instinctively I reach in my pocket and as I brought them out I hit the biggest one in the chest three quick punches.  He just stood there motionless while I swung back handedly and hit another in the jaw and broke it.

The other one started begging not to be hit and fell to his knees.  I stood over him, threatening him with my arm drawn back.

I told him to help me get the punks into their car.  Then I picked up the photos and told him to drive to Sally’s home.  Her father had returned from vacation leaving Sally and her mother on the keys.

When we arrived I told the punk I hadn’t hit yet to stay with the car and I took the keys.

Sally’s dad opened the door and was surprised to see me.  I told him to come with me to the car to which he said, what’s this all about.  When he saw the guys in bad shape he started to say who did this and I handed him the pictures.

Immediately rage was beginning to show itself in his demeanor.  I brought him up to date on what had occurred so far.

Sally’s Dad said, “Drive the car around to the garage and park it.”

Reaching into the car, he pulled out the one who was uninjured and twisted his arm up between his shoulders causing him to start screaming.

He said, “We have something to talk about don’t we?”  He told me to stay with the car and make sure the other two didn’t go anywhere.

That was easy for they weren’t moving.  After twenty minutes two big monster size men came and Sally’s father said for me to go home and not to say anything about what happened to anyone, ever.

He told me to take one of his cars and drive it until he had it picked up.

As I left I saw the classmates were in bad shape but thought they might be in worse shape before it was over.

The next time I saw the three punks was some time later.  One had his jaw wired together.  I figured I had done that to him; the big guy walked with difficulty and was in great pain when he coughed.  I didn’t do all of that, and the one I didn’t hurt was walking on crutches with one arm in a cast which wasn’t easy to do.

I knew I didn’t have anything to do with hurting him.  They wouldn’t talk to anyone about what happened so I guess that was the reason I wasn’t hauled in for hitting them with the knucks.

I also surmised that the two monster men must have given them some final instructions before they were driven to the doctors.  When their car was found, it had suffered a lot of damage due to it being wrecked, so that must have accounted for their condition.  

It was several years later I found out that my three friends were very talkative or at least one of them was.  He told the monstrous men who it was that sent the photos to them and how the whole thing came about.

Sally’s dad made a phone call to Chicago and shortly they had all the photos and all the negatives and the perpetrators had paid a great price for their folly.

As it turned out, Sally never knew anything about what happened.  She only knew she woke up with a headache at one of the frat houses which had burned down somewhat suspiciously.

Shortly afterward Sally’s dad met me in the parking lot at the market and said, “How’s your memory?” and eyed me sternly.

I said, “Terrible, I can hardly remember a thing.”

He said, “Let’s keep it that way.”  Then he said, “That car you are driving, keep it, it’s yours.”

I started to object but knew better than to say anything except, “Thank you, it sure is nice.”

It was nice.  I laughed to myself after he was gone and said, “If I knew he was going to give me the car I drove home I would have taken the new Rolls Royce.”  

I never would have guessed Sally’s dad had those kinds of connections.  To all who knew him in this city he was a gentle giving citizen and wouldn’t hurt anyone.

It has been many, many years since I would allow myself to even think of those events.

Just before school started he called me and said he had a job working for him making over twice what I was making at the market.

I asked him why he wanted me to work for him and he said, “So I can keep an eye on you.”

That made me feel a little uneasy but I was ready for my next classes.

I had a nearly new car, a new job, and a friend with connections.

To be Continued

 

HALF A LOAF Chapter 10 NEW POINT OF VIEW

So Sad
courtesy photobucket.com

 

After yesterday’s news I was still shook up and was trying to regain my equilibrium. Laney came by and picked me up even though it was out of her way.

She said, “We have tests coming up and we better study for them.”

I said, “I had almost forgotten about that.

“After that it won’t be long before the finals and then we get a break. I can use it”

I said, “This hasn’t been an easy year.”

She asked, “What are you going to do this summer?”

I replied, “I will work a regular shift full time and try to save enough so I won’t have to sweat it next year.  My tuition is paid for, but books and other expenses are always looming before me.  I hope to get by with working twenty hours a week when school starts again.”

She said, “I will get my schedule and books early for next semester so I can get a head start on my reading.  If you like I will do the same for you it will keep you from thinking about Sally while she is here this summer.”

I said, “I saw Sally’s mother and she said they were going to be vacationing in the keys this summer so Sally won’t be here at all.”

Facetiously she said, “That being the case we will have to find something else to be upset about.”

I said, “I’ve began to accept the fact she has a life separate from me and it’s up to me to do likewise.  Since her departure I am beginning to get more interested in you.”

Laney said, “Hey, wait a minute I might have something to say about that.”

I replied, “Don’t tell me you haven’t given it some thought, now be honest.”

She said, “Yes I have thought about it and come to the conclusion it isn’t in the books.”

She went on and said, “I think we need to get onto another subject like getting ready for the test that is coming up.”

“Yeah I guess so, it was just a thought.”

She said, “I’m not interested in being a fill in until she comes to her senses and comes back to you again for I know after she gets her fill of the frat scene she will fall back to old faithful.”

I said, “You really think so?”

“Yep, you can take that to the bank.  An older and wiser and I might add experienced sorority gal will return to her man.”

“Somehow you make it sound dirty,” I said.

She said, “It is what it is.  I only mean after she gets it out of her system and she sees how foolish she was it is inevitable she will return.  She may even go so far as to marry and then come back to you, but it will happen.”

“You don’t know that,” I said.

She said, “Then why do you expect and want it to happen?”

I said, “Let’s change the subject for she was probing into my psyche farther than I wanted her to go, and she was exposing a truth I wanted to stay hidden.”

She somewhat agitated said, “You can come over and phone her anytime you want.  You know just to touch base.  Her mother gave you the phone number where they can be reached this summer didn’t she?”

I had to admit I had asked for it and she gave it to me.

Laney was right I was still hanging on, hoping; just hoping.  I told her, “You’re right about everything.  I’m a mess, please don’t be mad at me, I really need your support now more than ever.”

With a stern look she said, “You poor miserable thing, of course I’m here for you.”

For the next half hour we didn’t speak, just trying to concentrate on studying for our exams that were coming up and then she said, “Let’s get something to eat, how does pizza sound?”

“Sounds good to me,” I answered.

Afterward when I got home and no one was around I had to admit Laney was the smartest gal I had ever met.  She could read people and could cut through the façade most phonies project.  I was just realizing how lucky I was having her as a friend.  

I could envision how having a life with her would be just matter of fact while with Sally it would be exciting and full of passion.

Then I thought about how the passion in most of the people’s lives seems to ebb as soon as children come along and the responsibilities start to mount up.

I think Laney has disqualified herself as a potential mate for me so that is a non-issue.

The day of the exam came and we both passed with high scores.  I had to study very hard and Laney just didn’t take a chance of getting less than an A so she was with me all the way.  There were essays to write and one more test till the end of semester.  I would be glad to get this first year behind me.

A study group invited the two of us to join them and prep for the final exam for one of our classes which was to be an oral exam.  It would be the last week of the semester so everyone was a little nervous.

A couple of former students were invited to tell us what happened to them when they took it.  

Somewhat disconcerting they said, “Nothing we could do would prepare us for what was to come.  Just know your subject, read your notes, and get a good nights rest before you take it.  

 

You won’t know when your turn will be. They will come to the class and call your name and away you will go.  There will be several being tested at the same time by people you don’t know but people that thoroughly know the subject as well or better than your professor.”

The days passed and we studied.  Then one day out of the blue a person came in and called six names and said follow me.  Laney and I were in the first group.  

Three hours later it was over.  The last thing we were told was not to discuss anything with the other students.  If we did we would get a failing grade for the whole year. You are further warned that we have ways to find out if you did.  You have been warned, so don’t make a mistake.

I don’t know about the rest of the class but that scared me and I didn’t even talk to Laney about it nor did she talk to me.  

I heard one of the students didn’t heed the warning and he was invited to take the class over next semester if he cared to.

Since the oral test was the last exam when we walked out of the testing room we were finished for this year.  Now it was just wait to receive our grades by mail.

As I left the university I wanted to block out the whole year’s stress and rest my brain until it was back to next fall.

To be Continued.

HALF A LOAF Chapter 9 HOPEING FOR THE RIGHT ANSWER

Breaking Up Hurts So Much
courtesy photobucket.com

After I finished the letter to Sally (that Laney actually dictated) I rushed to the post office and mailed it.

It would take at least three days for it to reach her and if she answered right back it would be a week before I received a letter from her.

I was tempted to phone her again, but the cost of the call squelched that idea.

A week went by and then another.  The letter must have gotten lost I thought, surely that must be it other wise I would have heard from her by now.

I saw Laney most every day and she said, “Calm down you will hear from her sooner or later.  She is probably swamped with her studies.”

I thought to myself, “My studies are a heavier load than Sally’s and I was working in addition to that.”

Laney said, “Come on over to my house and we will call her again.”

I protested because of the cost of the call.

She said, “Shush, my papa has plenty of money so it’s no big deal. Now what’s her number?”

She dialed it as I read the number to her.  She kept the phone and when someone answered Laney said, “Let me speak to Sally Adkins.”

The person on the other end of the line said, “I’ll see if she is available we’re having a party.

Then she asked, “Who shall I say is calling?”  

Laney said, “Tell her it’s Lonnie’s new girl friend and I need to talk to her.”

After a minute Sally came to the phone and said, “Who is this?”

Laney gave the phone to me and I said, “Hello sweetheart.”

She said, “Is that you Lon?”

I said, “Yes it is and it’s good to hear your voice.  Did you get my letter I sent three weeks ago?”

She hesitated and after a bit said, “Yes I received it.”

I asked, “How did it make you feel?”

She again hesitated but answered by saying, “Did someone say they were your new girl friend when you first called.”

I said, “That was Laney.  I’m using her phone because I didn’t have enough money to pay for the call.”

“Who is she, and why did she say that?  It sounds like you have been playing the field so to speak.”

About now I was wishing Laney hadn’t said what she said.  I answered, “She was just teasing and figured that would cause the girl to find you and get you to the phone.  I called before but they couldn’t get you to the phone so she tired a different method.”

Laney took the phone and said, “This guy is worried about being away from you and not hearing from you except in a round about way.”

Sally said, “What do you mean a round about way?”

Laney explained, “There are people here who have friends going to Princeton and they have told Lon you have become a party animal.  He doesn’t believe it but just needs some assurance from you that’s all.”

Sally said, “It sounds to me like you are trying to make a move on Lon for yourself.”

Laney stepped around the corner where Lon couldn’t hear very well and said, “I can get the full info on you and your antics in a short period, but I figured it isn’t any of my business.  You owe it to him to tell him at least part of what is going on and if your feelings for him have changed.  There is nothing wrong with a girl having a little fun but be fair with him and if things have changed then let him off the hook.”

Sally said, “It sounds like you want him for yourself.”

Laney said, He has shown no interest in me except for a friend, but from what I know of him he’s head and shoulders above what you are messing around with now.  I’m going to give the phone back to him and it’s up to you to show a little class and tell him the truth.”

I hadn’t been privy to the conversation the two girls had so I didn’t know what to expect when I spoke to Sally again.  I knew Laney didn’t mince words when she was serious so I was waiting to see how Sally would respond after talking to her.

Sally said, “I might as well come out and say it, my feelings for you are still strong, but I have found other interest that I need to explore.”

I asked, “Does that include new boy friends?”

She said, “Yes I’m afraid it does, and I hope we can remain friends.”

My first thought was, “Why.”  Then I realized that was because of being disappointed.

I said, “We surely should be friends forever for you mean much to me.”

She replied, “Great, feel free to write me at any time you feel like it, goodbye.”

I couldn’t help but shed a tear or two and asked if I could use the bathroom.

Laney said, “Sure go ahead.”

I managed to wash my face and pull myself together.  

Laney said, “I will give you a ride to work for your shift is about to start.”  She continued, “We all have to face disappointments in life and if you will allow it to, it will strengthen you to face other things down the road.”

As I got out of the car at work I said, “Thanks you have been a good friend.”

She said, “I hope we can remain friends because I don’t have many acquaintances I can trust.”

I answered, ‘You can count on it.”

To be Continued

HALF A LOAF Chapter 8 ONLY A PHONE CALL AWAY

Only a Phone Call Away
courtesy photobucket.com

 

The pressure of calling Sally was building up.  I reasoned that it was expensive and I didn’t have a lot discretionary money caused me to hesitate.

Calling from home wasn’t a very good option and I argued that she should have called me.  A letter a week just wasn’t enough contact to satisfy a man in love.  

I ran into Laney and the first thing she asked was “Did you call Sally yet”?

I didn’t want to come right out and say no, so I said, “I intend to.”

She was not willing to let it lay there so she said, “When?”

She said, “C’mon let’s go to my house.”

We got in her car and away we went. It was the first time I had been to her home and I was quite impressed with it.  Since we parked in the back we came in the rear door into the kitchen.

Her mom was giving some instructions to the house maid and when she saw me she smiled and said, "Hello mister Lon."  

 

I said, “Hello professor… I don’t believe I know your name.  Laney always calls you mom… I guess I could call you professor mom.”

She said, “Calling me mom might be getting ahead of the game a little don’t you think.”  

Turning red I said… “Maybe a little.”

She laughed and said, “My name is the same as Laney’s, Adkins; Mary Adkins.

“Well, professor Mary Adkins good morning.”

She said, “I have to get to one of my classes so help yourself to something if you are hungry.”

I said, “I would like a steak and fries please.”

She laughed and said, “It will have to be a tube steak.”  

Questioning, I said, “Tube steak?”

Laney said, “She means a weenie.”

I said, ‘Maybe next time, I just lost my appetite.”

“I’ll see you later, Laney, bye Mister Lon.”  

Laney said, “I think she likes you but be glad you aren’t in one of her classes for she is very tough on her students.  Learning isn’t an option with her.”

She then said, “Here is the phone so make that call to Sally, and I don’t want to hear some excuse, start dialing.”

I found her number in my wallet and did as she said.  After a minute a voice answered and said “Whom do you wish to converse with.”

I said, “Sally Rydal, please.”

In the back ground I could hear several girls talking as the girl who answered yelled out Sally some guy is on the phone and he wants to talk to you.

The voice in the back ground said, “Who is it, is it Ray?”

The girl answered and said, “No I would have recognized his voice.”

“Maybe it’s Len then.”

She said, “No not Len.”

The voice said, “I don’t want to talk to whoever it for it is probably one of the guys we met last night.”

Back on the line the girl said, “She don’t want to talk to you ever, don’t call back, and she hung up.”

Laney looked shocked.  After a minute she said, “Don’t pay any attention she didn’t know it was you so just call back another time.  Sorority girls have to pretend they are independent so they act that way to impress each other.”

She suggested, “Write her a letter and tell her you called her but wasn’t able to reach her this will keep the lines of communication open.”  

Laney continued, “I don’t like to tell you this but going to college is a time of discovery and experimentation so expect her to spread her wings a little and don’t worry about it. She will settle down shortly and come back to earth and sanity will return.”

I said, “I don’t know if I feel better or not at that explanation.  One thing I would like to know is how do you know so much about this since you never went away to college.”

“That is simple to answer.  I have been raised in college with my folks living on campus for many years.  Ever since I was a small girl I roamed the halls of the sorority houses.  

When my parents were out to an event I would sneak out and observed what went on at the fraternities and sororities at night. From the time I was in junior high the frats would hit on me.

They all suffer from testosterone fever and go around seeking relief.  I have seen it all from the hot love affairs to the heartbreak afterwards.  I have seen it all, that’s how I know.  I have heard every lie thought up by these college jocks and can pretty well know what they are going to say before they think it.  

Dressing down as I do keeps some of them at bay while others require a rebuke.  Being able to understand said subjects is necessary in knowing how strong the rebuke must be.”

I told her, “I usually am able to put down on paper what I want to say but in writing Sally this time I somehow feel inadequate to express my confusion.  I hate to ask you this but would you help me write to Sally?”

Laney said, “Wow, that’s asking a lot.  Writing to a guy’s girl for him seems awkward somehow.”

“I said I know and I probably shouldn’t ask you but I don’t have anyone else I could trust for if this got out I would never get over it.”

She said okay, get a pencil and paper. You can edit it and type it later.

Dear Sally,

I will attempt to tell you in words just how much I miss you.  There is no way words on paper can communicate the emotions I feel at this time.  I have many fears because of our being apart.  The main one being you will forget me and find someone else who you fall in love with.  

I find it easy to be faithful to you for all I can think of is the time when we are together again.  There is no one who can or will take your place in my heart for I love you dearly.  I hope you feel the same way I do and if you do please write me with the assurance that you do.  

New Jersey seems so far away but let me assure you my love for you reaches that far and farther.  Please write and assure me you feel the same as I do.  I wait expectantly to hear from you.

Love and kisses, Lon

Laney said, “That sounds like a non-poetic guy wrote that.  Still it expresses how you feel and isn’t encumbered by a lot of happenings around here for we want all of the focus on your feelings for her.”

To be Continued