SIGNS OF SPRING... and better times (Part 32a)

The unfortunate part for the end of Winter Party was that it meant mid semester exams were upon us. Elle and I never really got into a discussion about my next visit but we had sort of left it that I would be over to see her the following Saturday. As much as we both wanted to see each other, Elle had much better control of reality than I did. She had been preparing for the inevitable by studying all along whereas I put it off and would just cram for my exams. Elle’s started sometime around mid week and my first was an all class exam that next Saturday. We couldn’t really plan on my visiting her as the time of my exam hadn’t been announced. The “all class” exams always created a bit of a scheduling problem and it wasn’t just my class (Sophomore) that was taking them. When the schedule was finally posted I called to tell Elle that it would be next to impossible for me to do it. I think her “reasoning” side breathed a sigh of relief. What it meant, though, was an extended period of time apart as Spring break followed immediately after exams. I was truly disappointed.

As I’ve written previously, I’d been spending my Spring vacations visiting my grandparents. It was there that I’d been exposed, up close, to my grandfather’s race horses and fallen in love with them. At Christmas time I’d indicated to my grandfather that I’d really like to work with them. He worked it out with his horse trainer to let me actually do the work of a groom (a person who actually takes care of the horses) during this year’s visit. I was excited for the opportunity but a little melancholy about the time I’d be away from Elle.

Even though I’d been sent money for my trip to North Carolina, I managed to get a ride from one of the Lacrosse players in my fraternity. The Lacrosse team was scheduled to do a tour among some of the southern schools. Since the school was officially closed and the team was not playing in sanctioned games, seniors were allowed to travel in their own cars. This guy was looking for people to share the driving and who weren’t looking to go to Florida like most were. It was perfect for me as it would put me at Duke University where my friend from boarding school, Fred, was attending and without having to spend a dime.

After we arrived it took a while to finally find Fred and then we spent the rest of the day (a Saturday) touring the campus. Fred had persuaded his girlfriend, Liz, to also attend Duke. She was in the nursing program and not really a part of the main campus. All the nursing students lived in one multistoried dorm which was known as “Alcatraz” among the students because their rules were so strict. The girls had Saturday classes so Fred really couldn’t see Liz until that evening. When we got there it was like a feeding frenzy with the lobby teeming with guys waiting for the girls to be “released”. I thought Elle had it rough at her sorority but she had a picnic in comparison. Fred and I kept our eyes on the stairs waiting for Liz but I thought I saw a somewhat familiar face. I moved over closer to the staircase and my instincts proved to be correct. It was Fran, a classmate of mine from when I attended high school in the city. We had never hit it off but you wouldn’t have known that by the reception that I got when she saw me. It was like I was a long lost relative. She “gushed” all over me, something totally unexpected, for sure. Fred kept giving me this “look”, wondering what was going on.

It wasn’t long before Liz came down the stairs. The girls had to sign out and it was done by class seniority. Fran was a sophomore and Liz was a freshman so Fran preceded her. They knew each other by sight and, after the past history was explained, Liz piped up that there was someone else who was there that I knew. She wouldn’t tell me who but told us to wait and that she’d be right back. Fran and I got caught up on some past relationships while we waited. Fred was getting impatient just about the time that Liz returned with another girl in tow. It was Judy, my one time sailing partner from back home. She was also a freshman and she and Liz had run into each other soon after arriving at school and had become somewhat friendly. I was dumbfounded. The chances of running into two girls that I’d known in my past seemed incomprehensible.

By now Fred was demonstrably impatient. Trying not to be a drag on Fred and Liz I asked the other girls if they had anything planned for the evening. Fran had to stay around as she was “on call” at the school hospital. Judy, although she said she was dating, said she hadn’t planned on going out but thought it might be fun to reminisce. She said she had to sign out but would be right back. Looking at Fred I wasn’t quite sure just how he felt about the situation.

While we waited for her to return I couldn’t help but wonder if she still wore the heavy cotton Carter’s panties that she wore when we sailed together. Fred had never said what he and Liz had planned for that evening but we ended up at a small club/bar. It was sort of strange as neither Liz nor Judy drank. Judy and I spent most of the time talking about mutual friends. The one who I was most interested in was her friend, Wendy, who was also from back home. Judy said that she ended up at the University of Rochester and loved it. She told me that Wendy had decided that she wanted to be a doctor. Based on my memories of her that was truly a surprise.

After we returned the girls to their dorm Fred and I proceeded to get a couple of six packs of “Little Hitlers” (6oz of malt liquors) and drank them while listening to country music on WWVA out of Wheeling West Virginia. We were pretty wasted by the time we got back to his room. That turned out to be the only real excitement I experienced for the week.

To be continued...