Good Medicine Freshman YearChapter 22 Fallout
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September 28, 1981, McKinley, Ohio
“Mike?” Nancy whispered. “Wake up! I need to eat breakfast so I can catch the bus!”
“I’m awake,” I replied.
I stretched and yawned and sat up.
“Are you doing OK?” Nancy asked.
“Much better after last night. That was just what I needed. Thanks.”
“I think I’m calling Ripley’s,” Mrs. Landers laughed, coming into the room. “Teenage boy shows up and asks to spend the night with teenage girl. She agrees and gets permission from her mom. Boy desires only cuddles, then sleeps on the couch despite having permission to sleep in teenage girl’s bed!”
The couch hadn’t been the most comfortable place to sleep, but Nancy and I had agreed it was the best option to avoid the temptation that would come from sharing a bed when I wasn’t in the best frame of mind. We’d cuddled until nearly 1:00am when she’d helped me make up the couch, kissed me good night, and then went to her room.
“You’re right,” I laughed. “Nobody will believe it! I’m not sure I believe it!”
“Do you want breakfast?”
“Just coffee or tea, please. When Nancy leaves, I’ll head to campus and have breakfast in the dining hall.”
“Are you sure?” Nancy asked.
“I am. You leave at 6:30am, you said. That gets me back before 7:00am, and I can shower, dress, and eat, and easily get to class at 8:00am.”
“OK, coffee it is,” Mrs. Landers said.
We went to the kitchen and sat down. I sipped my black coffee while Nancy ate her Frosted Flakes and drank her orange juice. The conversation with Nancy the previous evening had been more than a little odd, as I tried to explain that I DID want to sleep with her, but didn’t think it was a good idea, at least at this juncture. Me going to bed with her would have been just as foolish as me having gone to bed with Becky.
The biggest thing on my mind was clearly Jocelyn. Her dad had called just before I left home to say that there hadn’t been any changes and that he’d call each evening as he’d promised. I didn’t have the first clue what I would say to her, and I’d decided to make an appointment to see Doctor Hart as soon as I got out of biology class. Things had been roiled in my mind before her suicide attempt, and they had only gotten worse.
Becky’s situation was horrible as well, and I’d spoken privately with my mom before I’d left. She was going to speak to a counselor at the High School, as well as one whose name Deputy Sanderson had provided. She hadn’t heard anything from Father Herman as yet, and Becky was reluctant to call her grandparents in Michigan for some reason. One thing was certain, and that was that she was a very messed up girl.
I’d related to Nancy everything that had happened, leaving nothing out, on account of my agreement with her on openness. She was obviously concerned about Becky, but believed I had, except for the minor faux pas while I was changing, handled the situation about as well as I could have. As for Jocelyn, Nancy reminded me that there really was nothing I could have done differently, given Jocelyn had withheld important information from me. I wasn’t quite so sure.
“What’s spinning around in that head of yours?” Nancy asked when she finished her cereal.
“Just thinking back over our conversation last night. It was really helpful.”
“The frankness and honesty was refreshing. A bit uncomfortable at times, but I’m happy you felt you could tell me those things.”
“I think you’ve been lied to far too many times. And it’s hardly a good basis for a relationship, is it?”
Mrs. Landers, who walked into the kitchen just then, laughed.
“You wouldn’t mind spreading the word with other members of your sex about that, would you?”
“I’ll do my best, but I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you.”
“No, I don’t think I should!”
“Mrs. Landers, do you mind if I ask your first name?”
“Why, Ann, of course!” she smirked.
“Oh, it IS NOT!” I laughed.
“You’re right. It’s Eileen.”
“Do you mind if I ask where you work?”
“Not at all. I’m a secretary at the School Board office. I hear you plan to be a doctor?”
“That’s right. As I told Nancy, a very long and difficult path lies ahead. Not just for me, but for whoever walks down that path with me.”
“She’s told me. And you go to the Russian church not far from here.”
“Yes.”
“Loucks isn’t a Russian name, is it?”
“No. My dad is of Dutch ancestry. My mom is Russian.”
“Mike, I need to get going or I’m going to miss my bus,” Nancy said.
“Shall I carry your books and walk you to the bus stop?” I asked.
“Where DID you find this young man?” Mrs. Landers asked with a laugh. “And does he have a cousin or uncle about twenty years older?”
“Come on,” Nancy urged. “Grab my books off the counter and I can show you off to the other girls in the neighborhood and make them jealous!”
I picked up her book bag, she grabbed her purse, kissed her mom, and then the two of us walked out of the house. We went down the driveway, and walked two blocks to the neighborhood school bus stop where, as she’d implied, six girls were waiting for her.
“Whoa!” one of them gasped. “He’s cute!”
“He’s totally yummy!” another one giggled.
“Down girls!” Nancy laughed. “He’s MINE.”
“If you bring something THAT delicious to the bus stop, you have to share with all of us!”
I laughed, “OK. OK. Enough! I am not THAT good looking.”
“Did anyone ask you?” the ‘delicious’ girl asked. “Be a good boy and be quiet and do as you’re told!”
They all laughed and Nancy rolled her eyes. I was saved by the bus turning the corner a few seconds later. Nancy made a point of giving me a VERY thorough French kiss, which caused the other girls to either squeal or groan. She took her book bag, climbed on the bus, and waved as it pulled away.
I walked back to the house, said ‘goodbye’ to Mrs. Landers, then headed to campus for a shower, a change of clothes, and breakfast. I walked into my biology class with two minutes to spare and plopped down next to Pete.
“We looked for you last night,” he said.
“Sorry. I had to make an emergency trip home. My friend went back into the hospital again.”
“Bummer. How is she?”
“OK, at least so far.”
Doctor Stanton walked in just then, and we turned to face the front. As soon as the lecture finished, I begged off getting coffee with Pete and Jason, and went to student health services to make an appointment with Doctor Hart. I secured one for Wednesday morning, then headed back to my room for a bit before my next class started.
September 29, 1981, McKinley, Ohio
“I really appreciated those extra hours on Sunday,” Paula said when I walked into the Quick Mart on Tuesday after lunch.
“Don’t get used to them!” I replied. “That was an emergency situation I had to deal with! I need my hours.”
“I think we all do.”
“True. What do you need today?” I asked with a grin.
That had become our running joke.
“Same as every day! A good man in my life!”
“What am I? Chopped liver?”
“No, of course not,” she said, completing the sequence. “But IN my life means more than working together for three hours a few days a week!”
I got to work and between my tasks and the steady stream of customers, I didn’t get a chance to talk with Paula until close to the end of her shift. There was a lull when literally nobody was in the store but the two of us.
“Mike?” she called out.
“What can I do for you?” I asked.
“Well,” she said, glancing around. “If you were actually interested in a test drive, you could ask me out.”
“Nancy and I are dating,” I replied.
“I didn’t think it was serious. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize! I’m flattered, but serious or not, it’s kind of tacky to ask you for a date when I have such limited time to spend with Nancy as it is.”
“So if you weren’t dating her? You’d be interested? You know, in a test drive?”
“If Nancy and I break up, I promise to come talk to you!” I replied with a smile.
She smiled and winked, but I could tell she wasn’t happy. And despite my promise to talk to her, I wasn’t interested in walking into a situation like hers. I had enough trouble of my own and didn’t need to add in a two-year-old kid, especially when I was only eighteen. That was the thing of nightmares, not fantasies!
When Nancy came in I took the first opportunity I could find to talk to her.
“Paula wants me to ask her out,” I said.
“No kidding,” she said flatly. “That was obvious when you two were teasing about the ‘test drive’ and you were flirting.”
“Flirting?”
“Sorry, she was flirting. You were clueless.”
“There’s a pattern there,” I said.
“So I’ve noticed. You don’t want her? Big tits, great body, pretty?”
“Is that a serious question you would ask of a guy who could have been with you on Sunday night and chose to cuddle rather than have sex?”
“You’re right, it isn’t. But don’t you think she’d be great in bed?”
“If reports are to be believed, she’s done it exactly one more time than you have, and that’s too small a sample size to know!”
“And you plan to test this theory?”
“With you. Repeatedly. Not with her.”
“Maybe she’s better?”
“Says who? And why are you so down on yourself?”
“History, Mike,” she sighed. “History.”
“Is this one of those ‘I trust you enough to have sex with but not enough to commit to’ moments?”
“Yes.”
“Are you in this for the potential long haul? Or is this just two people wanting to, well, play, for want of a better word?”
Nancy sighed, looked me directly in the eyes, and said, “That’s a good question. And I don’t know the answer.”
That evening, after work, I called Emmy to talk to her. I hadn’t really had an opportunity to talk to her when I was home because of everything that was going on. I told her about Jocelyn and she was horrified and wondered if there was anything she could do to help. I told her I didn’t think so, and until I talked to Jocelyn, I had no idea what was going to happen myself. I also told her about Becky, and she was even MORE horrified.
“I knew there was something really wrong there. I did see Becky at school, and wondered where Abby was, but I figured she was sick or whatever. They disappeared?”
“It seems so. The cops are looking for them, and eventually they’ll be spotted by a cruiser, and that’ll be it.”
“So she’s staying with your parents?”
“Only for this week. After that, I don’t know.”
“She’s really nice, isn’t she?”
“And really messed up. She needs counseling and obviously she needs a job and a place to stay, or she has to find some relatives to stay with or something.”
“My cousin wants to get a roommate, and there are flyers at school for A&W, McDonald’s, and Wendy’s saying they’re hiring. She’d still go to Harding High, so that could work.”
I groaned inwardly. Emmy had no idea she would be helping a potentially mentally unstable girl with designs on me stay in the area. As much as I liked Becky, I had, finally, decided it was best if she went back to Michigan and got counseling.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” I said carefully. “She needs a lot of counseling.”
“Leslie has helped me a lot. She might be able to help Becky.”
“Professional counseling,” I said.
“Mike, let me try to help your friend, OK? Please?”
“I guess, but you have to warn Leslie that Becky is in very bad shape right now.”
“I hear you. Are you coming to see Jocelyn?”
“As soon as her dad lets me know it’s OK. I talked to him earlier tonight, and she’s still in the ICU. I need to run, my study group awaits!”
“Have fun! See you on the 10th if not before!”
“I’m looking forward to it!”
“Me, too!” she said. “All of it!”
I laughed and we said ‘goodbye’ and hung up. I hoped against hope that Becky would go back to Michigan, but I had an ominous feeling about the whole thing. I shook my head a bit to clear it, then went back to my study group.
September 30, 1981, McKinley, Ohio
“Well, that was an unexpected turn,” Doctor Hart said. “Though not all that uncommon in circumstances like hers.”
“So how do I talk to her?” I asked.
“First, you need to talk to yourself and decide, firmly, one way or the other if this is an impediment. If it is, then you have to let her know that in no uncertain terms. The timing of when you tell her is tricky, but you can’t ever imply you’ll accept her as your mate if you won’t because she’s unable to bear children.”
“I have no clue,” I said. “I’ve racked my brain and I can’t separate Jocelyn who is able to have kids from Jocelyn who is unable to have kids. She’s just Jocelyn.”
“That’s both good and bad. Good in that you don’t see her as ‘damaged goods’ because of that, but bad because that has significant importance in your long-term relationship. Some people simply can’t accept a mate who they KNOW is unable to have kids. Granted, some couples have difficulty conceiving, but this is a very different thing from that. This is a conscious decision, forevermore, to not have natural children. Period. Could you sign up for that?”
“I don’t know,” I said.
“Then you can’t. Not knowing is the same as saying ‘no’. It has to be. You have to make an affirmative choice, one that is for life. And stick to it. Without wavering. Yes, you can adopt, and that’s a wonderful thing, but having biological children is different psychologically.”
“That’s a tough decision,” I said.
“It’s not the only one like it. By signing up to be a doctor, you give up most other career paths. Oh sure, you could go back to school and try to start over at age 30, or whatever, but that’s a very difficult thing to do. And let’s not forget marriage, or fathering children, or a host of other permanent decisions we make over time. I know you’ve made some flippant comments about marrying your Russian friend, but the last thing you want to do is make a mistake and end up divorced. Divorce is another decision with far-reaching consequences we can’t fully understand. I advise avoiding it.”
I chuckled, “No kidding. How do I know what I want? And how can I be sure?”
“There is no easy answer to THAT question, either. All you can do is imagine the possible futures and see how you feel. I do have a question for you, and it wasn’t clear to me. Did she tell you the truth about everything else?”
“I have no idea,” I sighed.
“You need to find that out, too, Mike. You could be signing up for something very, very different from what you expect out of marriage and a life together.”
“Wonderful,” I said, sighing again.
“I do have something positive to say to you. And that is you exercised excellent judgment with regard to Becky and Nancy. In those specific instances, your decision not to engage in sexual intimacy was right on target.”
“I actually asked Nancy yesterday if she was in this for the potential long haul or just wanted to, as I put it, ‘play’.”
“A perfectly good and completely appropriate question. You need to make sure you know her answer before you engage in anything more than necking. For your own sake, more than hers.”
“Mine?”
“You put very, very great import on the act of physical intimacy. I’m not sure you’re cut out for just ‘playing’ as you put it. If you were, I believe you might have had half-a-dozen sex partners by now, instead of one, with whom you only had that single two-day encounter in Cincinnati. You need to make sure you and the young women you consider for sex partners are on the same page on that topic, or you, she, or both of you, could end up badly hurt.”
“So you’re saying I can’t be casual about sex?”
“That would be my assessment. You have a more feminine view of the sex act than most men do. There are men who could bed hundreds of women and not feel an ounce of guilt. You’ve made love with one and are feeling guilty because you aren’t sure you did the right thing. And that was with a woman who is, for all intents and purposes, your soulmate, either as a close friend and confidante, or as your spouse. Think about THAT before you decide it’s time to consummate your relationship with Nancy.”
I nodded, “OK. My mom also suggested we talk about stress management.”
“Welcome to the life of a college student who has to work his way through college. There are a few strategies, mostly involving ensuring you have daily quiet time to clear your mind. Some people pray, others meditate, and others use biofeedback techniques. The other options are a bit more, well, difficult or extreme. The obvious one is to find yourself a sponsor who’ll pay for everything.
“ROTC is often a good choice, but you’ll trade working for drill. That said, you wouldn’t have any debt when you finished medical school. You would have to serve a good stint in the military in exchange for that. Whether that would be a good trade would be up to you. I couldn’t argue against it if you were to go that route. There are also programs where you agree to serve in underprivileged communities that help pay for medical school in exchange for some amount of service, but you would have limited options of where you might serve in such a program.
“Another idea, but one that probably wouldn’t work now unless you found a woman six to eight years older, would be to get married and have them put you through school. Marrying someone your age, unless they happen to be an heiress might actually make the problem worse.”
“Know any eligible bikini-model heiresses who are eighteen and looking for a half-Dutch, half-Russian future doctor?”
October 22, 1981, McKinley, Ohio “Angie? What are you doing here?!” I asked when she sat down next to me in the lab. She smiled, “I talked to Doctor Stanton and asked if I could be your biology lab partner because they were going to move Sally. She’s with my old team which was two girls and one guy. Now I have morning lab instead of afternoon.” “Uh, doesn’t this just create a new problem?” Mark asked warily. Angie shook her head, “No. Mike and I are friends, but that’s it. We study...
October 17, 1981, McKinley, Ohio There was a knock at the door just before 6:00pm and I was sure it was the girls so I called out for them to come in. As expected, it was Jeannette and Marie. “Ready for hot meat between buns and slurping creamy white liquid?” Jeannette teased. “My bedroom is right there!” I grinned. “Should we leave you two the room?” Marie smirked. “Dinner first, then dessert!” Jeannette laughed. I took Angie’s hand and the four of us left the dorm and headed for the...
June 8, 1981, West Monroe and Rutherford, Ohio “This entire conversation is going to be ‘too much information’, isn’t it?” I said when Liz and I left the house on Monday evening. “Probably. Is there anything you don’t want to hear?” “Anything at all about my little sister’s sex life!” I laughed. “But I guess you want to talk.” “‘Cause you won’t judge me, Mikey. You’ll listen and give me good advice.” I pulled out of the driveway and headed towards Rutherford. The Rutherford Free Clinic...
September 14, 1981, McKinley, Ohio On Monday, after lunch, I did as Doctor Orosco had insisted, and met with a counselor from Student Health Services, who, amazingly, was available immediately. The problem was, as I’d argued, that I wasn’t going to repeat what I said, even to another counselor, under any circumstances. I spent ten minutes going around in circles with Doctor Ralph Hart, and made no progress. “I’m not sure what you’re doing here, if you won’t talk to me about what...
October 6, 1981, McKinley, Ohio I met Pete and Jason for breakfast in the dining hall. As usual, Clark was just getting out of bed when I left our room. “You got in pretty late last night, I guess,” Pete said. “We didn’t break up the study group until about 11:30pm.” “I had a long talk with Jocelyn.” “How’s she doing?” “Better, but she has a long way to go, physically, emotionally, and mentally. But at least she’s talking to me.” “I heard you’re invited to the Wednesday biology...
October 4, 1981, McKinley, Ohio “Let me guess, you’re sleeping on the couch again?” Mrs. Landers laughed. “Actually, I just came to talk to Nancy for a bit, then I have homework. I didn’t spend any time on it yesterday.” “Come on in. She’s in her room.” “Thanks.” I walked back through the house to Nancy’s room. She got up to greet me and we exchanged a hug and kiss. “Sorry for putting you off at work,” I said. “But I didn’t want to be interrupted.” “It’s OK. How is Jocelyn?” “I found...
October 9, 1981, McKinley, Ohio “You’re really going to cut back your hours to just the six-hour Saturday shift?” Nancy asked. “That’s what I told Mr. Sokolov yesterday, yes. And he can reduce the hours whenever he finds someone to take them.” “What happened?” “The Biology Department secured a grant for $1500 per semester for me. I explained my situation to Doctor Stanton, my advisor, and he talked to Doctor Norris. I’m starting in the honors program next semester, and there is a small...
September 6, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “Mike!” Emmy squealed, launching herself into my arms when she opened the door. “Missed me?” I asked as I carefully spun around with her. “Yes! Let’s go! I’m STARVED!” I put her down and we walked to my car for the drive to Marie’s Diner. “How was your first week of school?” I asked. “Nothing changes. I mean, sure, I’m a Sophomore now, but otherwise it’s all the same. How about you?” “It’s a huge change, especially the amount of homework. I used to...
August 29, 1981, Columbus, Ohio “What are you talking about?” I asked. “Despite spending two days screwing like bunny rabbits,” Jocelyn said with a smile, “I think you’re STILL afraid of sex. May I ask another question?” “I guess,” I sighed. “Why haven’t you and Emmy done it? Because of her? Or because of you?” I could give her the answer that immediately popped into my mind - that Emmy wasn’t sixteen and was under the age of consent. But I knew there was some truth to what Jocelyn said....
December 3, 1981, Rutherford, Ohio “Well that went south pretty quickly,” I said. “They’re playing hardball with you,” Mr. Winston said. “It was always a possibility, but I didn’t think they’d go that route; they didn’t with your dad or sister.” “But they did with my mom?” “Yes, for the same basic reason. I believe they are under heavy pressure from someone to charge you with something; anything. And unless I miss my guess, it’s likely Mrs. Laramy from Family Services. She is certain...
March 15, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “Is it OK if I interrupt?” Clarissa asked on Monday evening. “Sure,” I replied. “What’s up?” “I wanted to check on class schedules for the Fall. I’d like to take the same classes. It’ll help with our study group.” “Sure. Pete, Kurtis, Jason, excuse me for a bit.” Clarissa and I went to my room and sat down with the course catalog. “We need O-Chem, the second semester of cellular biology with lab, a humanities course, and a language course,” I said. “Do...
February 15, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “Mike!” Angie squealed when she opened the door to her room. “Hi, Ang!” She hugged me and kissed my cheek. “I missed you! How was home?” “Good,” I replied. “Have some time for me?” “Always! Your place?” “Sure.” She took my hand and we walked back to my room where I put on Shadows by Gordon Lightfoot, then grabbed a couple of Cokes from the fridge. “How was your weekend?” I asked. “Quiet. Yours?” “I spent some time talking to my dad. I haven’t...
March 27, 1982, McKinley, Ohio I was still thinking about Katy as I walked to the Quick Mart for my weekly shift on Saturday morning. There was no doubt in my mind that sooner, rather than later, Katy was going to ask me to ‘go all the way’ and I’d have a very big decision to make. When I’d mentioned going steady, she’d immediately thought about having sex. The linkage was just as clear as Tasha’s linkage between marital crowns and sex. If I decided to ‘go all the way’ with Katy, it would...
August 24, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “Whoa!” I gasped. “It fits, Mike. And it explains everything that happened afterwards.” “Mom, Abby exhibits the same behavior. She basically offered to have sex with me when she said hello the first day, and Becky implied Abby has been doing that since she was twelve.” “Stay out of that Mike. That’s an issue for the van Dorns.” “Is it? Emmy told me that Abby was here earlier and that Liz and Abby were acting crazy so she left and went home.” “You think...
November 27, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio On Friday morning, just after 10:00am, I was surprised when April showed up at the door of Jocelyn’s house. “Your mom said you were here. I guess you and Jocelyn decided to go steady?” I shook my head, “No. There are some problems at home that mean I need to stay here.” “Problems with your parents?” “It’s a family thing I can’t really talk about. What’s up?” “I wanted to apologize for getting upset and sending you away on Monday.” “Apology accepted....
August 26, 1981, McKinley, Ohio “Michael Peter Loucks,” I said. “Hi, Michael! Welcome to William Howard Taft!” the young woman sitting at the table marked ‘Dorm Check-In: H-M’ said. “Thanks.” She flipped through some envelopes in boxes and pulled one out. “The envelope contains your room key, student ID, dining hall card, parking sticker, a campus map, a set of dorm and campus rules, and a schedule of activities for the next five days. There are carts available on the first floor of your...
October 3, 1981, Rutherford, Ohio “Hi, Mike.” “Hi, Mr. Mills. I was just going in to see Jocelyn.” “One of the staff psychologists would like to talk to you first.” “Me? Why?” “To talk to you about Jocelyn. I can’t force you to do it, Mike, but I think it would be a very good idea.” “When? I want to see Jocelyn today.” “If you go back down to the ground floor, there’s an outpatient clinic. Just go to the desk and ask for Doctor Henderson. She’s expecting you.” I turned and went to the...
May 24, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio I was up early on Sunday morning to head to Holy Transfiguration. As Head Acolyte, I was responsible for being at the church about ninety minutes before Matins so that I could refill and light all the oil lamps, replace the tapers in the candle box, sift the sand in front of the icon of the Theotokos to remove the candle stubs, and ensure that the nave was in proper order. When I arrived, I unlocked all the doors, adjusted the thermostat to cool the nave,...
December 21, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “Mikey!” Liz squealed when I walked into the house on Monday evening. “Hi, Lizzy!” I said. She ran to me and we hugged lightly, then went into the living room where she had been sitting with my parents. “Welcome home, Mike,” Dad said. “How is Jocelyn?” “Pretty good. She has most of her range of motion back and they’re working to see if they can get her some more. Her bones have knit well, and she’s able to move around more freely.” “That’s good to...
September 7, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio When I stopped home just before 8:00pm on my way back to McKinley, I found my dad alone, in the living room, sitting in his easy chair, drinking Scotch on the rocks. “Hi, Dad. Where’s Mom?” “Sleeping. She’s completely worn out by last night and today. I’m surprised you’re not.” “I’ll crash when I get back to my dorm. How did it go?” He held up his glass, “Third one. How do you think?” I slumped down onto the couch. “Not good,” I sighed. He took a...
February 14, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio “How are things going, Mike?” Dad asked when I sat down on the stool in the corner of his workshop. “Good, now that all that stuff with Family Services is done. How have things been at home?” “Your mom and sister put on brave faces, but Liz is struggling.” “They both said her schoolwork was good and she seemed OK when I talked to her.” “She has good days and bad days. Doctor Newton says she’s struggling with her feelings for Paul.” “Paul?...
March 23, 1982, McKinley, Ohio I had been extremely distracted during my drive from Circleville to McKinley, and was having real trouble concentrating on my review for O-Chem, and the guys noticed. “What’s bugging you?” Jason asked. “You seem like you’re on another planet.” “I know,” I agreed. “I’m having real trouble concentrating.” “That must have been a hell of a concert!” Pete laughed. “Of course, seeing my girlfriend wrap her lips around a saxophone might distract me, too!” “You’re...
April 30, 1982, Circleville, Ohio “Mom and Dad are out tonight,” Katy said. “Let’s cook together!” “Sure. What did you have in mind?” “Well, now that you have no restrictions because we don’t fast during the Paschal period, I was thinking two small filets, small lobster tails, and broccoli. Surf and turf, I guess.” “That sounds awesome!” I said, then smirked, “What about dessert?” Katy laughed softly, “I have some ideas!” “I bet!” I chuckled. “But we need to make sure we’re on the same...
October 12, 1981, McKinley, Ohio “Well THAT stinks,” Nancy said on Tuesday afternoon. “What happens now?” “I don’t know yet. I talked to Doctor Norris this morning after my chem mid-term and he’s confident nothing will happen. The problem is, I’m sure I’ve made an enemy of the Dean, and any minor slip-up on my part is going to become a Federal case.” “But why you?” “I had the misfortune to draw someone who felt she could use the discrimination procedure to get something she couldn’t...
November 8, 1981, McKinley, Ohio “Do you want me to disappear?” Angie asked as we walked into the dorm after church. “Why? Emmy knows I’m dating you. She’s not jealous. You know she’s coming to visit and she knows you know. It would be REALLY dumb to invite her here otherwise, don’t you think?” “Guys have been known to do dumb things from time to time!” “Not ones who want you to stick around.” “You do remember I told you my High School boyfriend screwed a close friend of mine behind my...
Great and Holy Friday, April 16, 1982, McKinley, Ohio As Angie and I stood quietly waiting for the Lamentations service to begin late on Friday, I thought about the series of services which had brought us here - Bridegroom Matins on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday evenings; Holy Unction on Wednesday evening; a Vesperal Divine Liturgy on Thursday morning celebrating the Last Supper, the Twelve Gospels service Thursday evening, celebrating the passion; the Royal Hours kept all day Friday; and...
November 2, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “I did not come here for a lecture,” I said firmly. “I did what I felt was in Liz’s best interest. Again. Dad said we needed to talk, and I’m willing to talk. I am NOT willing to listen to a lecture.” “You do not decide what is best for your sister,” Mom said. “That is for your father and me, as well as the professionals.” “And what is Dad’s opinion on this?” I asked. “That is not the point, Mike!” I sighed. We’d been going around in circles on the...
March 5, 1982, Circleville, Ohio “What became of that police investigation?” Mrs. Malenkov asked when I arrived at Katy’s house on Friday evening. “Nothing so far. They haven’t caught the rapist. The school added some security and started a service to walk girls to and from class or work after dark.” “Why did they check on you, specifically?” “The suspect has brown hair and is about 5’10” and I came into the dorm maybe an hour after it happened. At first they had reports it was a black...
August 16, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio Liz threw her arms around me on Sunday morning when I walked out of my room. “Thank you! Thank you!” I hugged her tightly to me. “Mom let you out of ‘house arrest’?” “Yes. And I know you’re responsible. If you weren’t my brother, I’d kiss you!” “Just remember, you have to behave, because if you don’t...” “I know,” she sighed. “I’m on parole. Did Mom tell you that Paul agreed to plead guilty to one count of statutory rape and one count of oral sodomy...
November 23, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio On Monday morning, just after breakfast there was a knock at the door. I got up from the couch and went to open it. “Phil?” “Hi, Mike. Can we come in?” “We?” “This is Mrs. Laramy from Family Services.” “Hang on a second.” I went to the kitchen to get my dad, who followed me back to the foyer. “Hi, Phil,” Dad said. “What’s up?” “This is Mrs. Laramy from Family Services.” “Mr. Loucks? I have an order here to take custody of Elizabeth.” “What?!...
May 31, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio On Sunday morning as I dressed for church, I faced the true reality of what happened the previous night. My make-out sessions with April had, except on that single instance where I’d fondled her sweater-clad breast for more than a second or two, not gone far enough to be included in my confession. What had happened the previous night certainly had. I now faced effectively the same dilemma I would have faced had April and I gone to the motel after Prom. I...
August 21, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio On Friday morning, Mr. Mills called just after 6:00am to let me know that Jocelyn had gone into surgery, and that it would likely be mid-afternoon before he had any news. I thanked him and sat down at the table in the kitchen with a mug of tea I made and read the Rutherford Tribune. Nobody else was up, and I enjoyed the quiet for about an hour before my parents came into the kitchen. “Was that Jocelyn’s dad who called at 6:00am?” my dad asked. “Yes. I...
February 13, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “I visited Ohio State yesterday,” Nancy said when we had a chance to chat on Saturday morning. “And?” “I’m pretty sure I’m going to Taft like we talked about because I can live at home. But the tour was cool and our tour guides were absolutely hysterical.” “Oh?” “Yeah. A guy and his fiancée. He’s a criminal justice major and wants to be a US Marshal. She’s in pre-law and wants to be a criminal defense lawyer. They told some of the funniest stories about...
April 4, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio “Mishka!” Tasha squealed, hugging me tightly, but quickly releasing me because we were in the narthex of the church. “Hi, Tasha!” I said with a smile. She grabbed my hand and led me to the church hall where we got some food and coffee, then sat down by her parents. “Michael, how is school going?” Deacon Vasily asked. “All A’s so far, and I should finish the semester with a 4.0 average.” “Very good. And you’re attending church regularly?” “Yes. Every...
June 6, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio After Vespers on Saturday, I spent a few minutes talking to Tasha. “My dad isn’t sure karate is ‘ladylike’,” she said. “The uniforms cover more than those nice dresses you wear during the Summer!” “You noticed, Mike?” she asked with a soft laugh. “If I may be «некультурный», yes, of course! It’s difficult to miss a pretty girl with a nice body!” “Thank you! But do NOT say that around my dad! He’ll never let you see me again!” “So the answer is ‘no’?” “I...
September 26, 1981, McKinley, Ohio “What?!” I gasped. “How is she?” “I don’t know, and that’s the God’s honest truth. Her dad called from Rutherford Hospital and asked me to call you. All he said was that they were working on her.” “I’m leaving in about three minutes. That’s what I’ll need to get dressed.” “What about Becky?” “I’ll bring her, I guess. I can’t imagine her parents are going to be in Rutherford.” “She’s there with you?” “Yes. Beat me up about that later! I’m on my way to...
October 10, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio I froze and realized my first inclination to go back to McKinley had been the right one. I’d thought my talk with Becky the previous weekend had resolved the issue, but I was very clearly mistaken. I could actually go back. It was early enough, and I hadn’t told Tasha I was going to be home, so she wouldn’t be upset, and a phone call would make her very happy as the two I’d made so far had done. But there was one problem - all I could hear in my head was...
October 11, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio On Sunday morning, Becky and I got out of bed and snuck across the hall to the bathroom, where we got into the shower together. “Thank you,” she said as I lathered shampoo in her hair. “I was afraid you’d say ‘no’ and I’d have missed that.” “You’re OK?” I asked. “Mike, it’s what I wanted from the day I met you. I just knew you’d be perfect. You let me do exactly what I wanted and how I wanted. As I said, patient and gentle.” “You weren’t very gentle...
November 9, 1981, McKinley, Ohio “OK?” I asked, shocked enough that I was rocked back in my seat. “Yes. OK.” “OK to WHAT?” I asked warily. “Getting married.” “You can’t be serious! You’re afraid of French kissing and you want to get married?” Angie smirked, “Gotcha! You should see the look on your face!” “Nice.” I laughed. “You did get me!” “Sorry, I figured at that point I needed to do something to change the mood.” “By making my heart stop?!” “Oh, come on! The first thought that...
January 4, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “And so another semester begins,” I said when I met Angie at the elevators on Monday morning. “I saw your class schedule was basically the same.” “The only real change is I have the creative writing core requirement replacing the scientific writing class. I am so glad I chose to take those in the order I did - it made all the difference in the world for doing the lab reports.” “I’m not complaining! I ended up with an A in biology which I NEVER would have...
January 12, 1982, McKinley, Ohio Influenza was making the rounds of the dorm, and just about everyone had it by Tuesday morning, including me. I dragged myself out of bed, realized there was no way I was going to run, and climbed back into bed. I took some decongestant tablets from the box on the shelf next to my bed and swallowed them with a gulp of water. I hoped to fight the worst symptoms and be able to make it to lab. Angie had already said she wasn’t going to run, so I stayed in bed...
January 25, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “I have a message for Michael Loucks,” a young man announced just as biology class ended. “That’s me,” I said. “Dean Parker would like to see you immediately.” “I’ll go with you, Mike,” Doctor Stanton said. I had no clue what she could possibly want, but I appreciated Doctor Stanton coming with me. We made our way to the administration building. “I’m here to see Dean Parker,” I said. “I’m Mike Loucks.” “One moment,” the young woman at the desk...
January 31, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “You’re STILL struggling with that issue?” Jocelyn asked during our regular Sunday afternoon call. “Does it really surprise you?” “No, I suppose it doesn’t. I think the circumstances of the last year really caused you some serious heartache and anguish, and I’m not just talking about you and me. If you think about it, you and Emmy were ripped apart by her dad; you and Nancy were ripped apart by her difficulty with commitment; you and I were ripped apart by...
May 23, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “Good morning, Mike!” my mom said when I arrived at the kitchen table for breakfast. “Hi, Mom,” I said. “What do you have planned for today?” “It’s all on the calendar, just like it has been since I could write,” I replied with a smile. “I work from 8:00am to noon, then I have my Saturday karate class at 1:00pm. Dale and I are playing chess after that, and Vespers are at 6:00pm. I’m taking April to the movies after church.” “What are you going to...
September 19, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “Why are you sending me such mixed signals?” “Mixed signals?” Jocelyn and I were sitting on the couch, and she was cuddled next to me, at least as best she could, given her obvious discomfort from the injuries, catheter, and physical therapy. I had thought a lot after my talks with Doctor Hart, as well as my talks with Nancy. One thing I was seriously concerned about was getting more deeply involved with Nancy and messing things up with Jocelyn. I...
October 30, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “Hi,” Jocelyn said when her dad led me into the living room. “Hi! I’m glad to see you at home.” “And we’re glad to have her home,” Mr. Mills said. “If you need anything, let us know.” I went over to sit next to Jocelyn on the couch. She scooted close and I put my arm around her. She sighed, kissed my cheek, and then snuggled. “I was glad to hear from Doctor Henderson that you could leave the hospital.” “And you should be seeing your sister!” “I will....
March 1, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “I have a meeting with the Dean to get permission to put up the flyers this afternoon,” Kurtis said at lunch. “We’ll only be escorting girls from our dorm. I talked to a couple of guys in other dorms who will organize theirs. I figured we couldn’t take care of everyone without some help.” “Cool,” Clark said. “Did anyone hear any more about the investigation?” “The Times said the police didn’t have any suspects, but were following leads,” Jeannette said. “What...
August 7, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio The Summer was rapidly disappearing and there were but two weeks before I moved to McKinley. Once my dad had calmed down, the Summer had returned to normal. It was almost as if everything was in a holding pattern, where each week had followed a simple pattern. I worked at the hardware store, went to the dojo, had dinner with Tasha on Wednesday, a date with Emmy on Friday, and the usual triple date on Saturday. Liz was still grounded, but Emmy was allowed to...
September 1, 1981, McKinley, Ohio Tuesday wasn’t quite as crazy as Monday. My first class after breakfast was the biology seminar. After the first day, this would be run by Laura Peters, a graduate student. I immediately decided the seminar would be valuable, as she would provide study guides, sample lab reports, and a host of other useful information, as well as address any challenges we encountered in our first semester at Taft. The most important thing is that there would be no outside...
November 1, 1981, McKinley, Ohio It was just past midnight when I walked into the Landers’ house. “Hi, Mike,” Mrs. Landers said. “Nancy said you might show up. I’m glad you did!” “Hi, Mrs. Landers,” I replied. “Don’t mind me,” she smiled. “If you two want to go on to bed, that’s OK.” “You better call Ripley’s once more,” I grinned. “I’m going to turn Nancy down on her offer. Again.” Mrs. Landers laughed and shook her head, “I told her you were a keeper! Then I will go to bed so you can...
February 19, 1982, McKinley, Ohio “Angie!” I exclaimed, as I hurried toward the girls, who appeared tired, but otherwise OK. I took Angie in my arms and hugged her tightly. “Are you OK?” I asked. “Yes,” she said. “I’m sorry I’m late, but we were at the party and the police wouldn’t let us leave or make phone calls until they interviewed everyone who was there.” “What happened?” Melody asked. “A girl from the seventh floor was raped,” Jeannette said. “Who was it?” “Some girl named...
April 8, 1982, West Monroe, Ohio “Liz wanted me to talk to you,” I said to my mom on Thursday evening. “I assumed she’d put you up to this.” “I only promised to talk to you, and told Liz not to count on anything changing.” “Good call. We’ve given her as much freedom as your father and I think is reasonable. Has she talked to you about Paul Reynolds?” I nodded, “I know how she feels about him. But he’s in prison. Don’t forget she was raped before that, and anything that happened after the...
June 10, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “OK, now I am SERIOUSLY worried about coming to church on Saturday!” I laughed as I put the car in gear. “And why is that Mishka Petrovich?” Tasha asked with a small laugh. “Your dad told me it was OK to take you for ice cream after dinner without me asking. I swear, if I come into church on Saturday for Vespers and the table is there with the crowns...” I was laughing and so was Tasha. “And being married to me would be so terrible?” she asked with fake...
June 15, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “Negative,” Liz whispered happily when I came home from work on Monday. “Thank God,” I said. We both had been on pins and needles since the previous Monday, and the news had come as a relief. Jocelyn and Dale had noticed I was on edge on Saturday night, and I’d pulled them aside briefly to tell them what had happened. They were both in agreement that I had no choice but to report the guy. Jocelyn offered to emasculate him with a rusty spoon, which had me...
August 22, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “What do you want to do today?” I asked Becky as we walked to my car. “Anything you want.” “Anything?” I smirked. “Like saying that was really a risk?” “You never know,” I chuckled. “What if it’s all been an act?” “HAS it all been an act?” she asked in a silly tone as I opened the passenger door for her. “Of course not!” I said, closing the door. I walked around the car and got in, started the engine, and backed out. “Not implying anything,” Becky...
November 20, 1981, McKinley, Ohio I got up from the couch and walked over to where Nancy was standing. She took my hand and led me to her bedroom where she shut and locked the door. She stood in front of me, and I held out my arms. She stepped forward and melted against me, sighing deeply as she put her head on my chest. I wrapped my arms tightly around her and held her. “I’ve wanted this for months,” she whispered. I moved one of my hands to lift Nancy’s chin so we could kiss. Our lips...
November 25, 1981, Rutherford, Ohio “Family Court for Harding County is now in session, Judge Martha Lee, presiding. You may be seated.” The small courtroom was packed with doctors, lawyers, and our family. Nobody from the general public was permitted because Liz was a minor. “Ladies and gentlemen,” Judge Lee said, “this is a status hearing on an emergency custody petition which I signed on Sunday evening. The procedure is a bit less formal than in a normal courtroom. That said, please...
June 5, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio “What do you want to do tonight?” I asked Emmy after she got into my Mustang on Friday evening. “Anything,” she said with a smile. “Whatever you want!” “There’s a new skydiving place that opened in Clermont County over by Cincinnati. I saw an ad in the newspaper.” “OK,” she laughed, “maybe not ANYTHING!” “Too exciting for you?” I laughed as I put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway. “Too risky! What happens if your parachute doesn’t...