Good Medicine Freshman YearChapter 41 A Good Sense of Humor
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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 together, but we’re not a couple. We haven’t even been on a date. Well, he went to the movies with my friends and me, but it wasn’t a date.”
“I promise no funny business, Mark,” I said. “I didn’t know she was going to ask, but you know me.”
He laughed, “Labs before labias!”
Angie, I, and Joe who had just walked over, laughed hard. I nearly corrected his error, as ‘labia’ was already plural, but bit off the response because it would make me seem humorless, which was something I was trying to avoid.
“A good strategy for any Freshman, but one that most ignore!” Joe chuckled. “I assume you’re OK with Angie as your new lab partner? She told Doctor Stanton you study together but you’re not an item.”
I nodded, “Correct.”
“Mark? Any concerns?”
He grinned, “I’m going to raise my lab grade a full letter, so I’d be stupid to complain.”
“Good choice!” Joe said, and walked back to his lectern.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked.
“I didn’t want you to worry about it, and I know you would have. This way, it’s done. And, it helps you with that witch you had before and the feminist idiot Dean Parker. I’m a girl, in case you hadn’t noticed!”
Mark and I both laughed hard.
“Kind of hard to miss,” Mark grinned.
“An interesting strategy,” I said thoughtfully. “One that helps everyone.”
“Look, I’m all for equality, like I said, but I don’t want anything just handed to me. It’s stupid. Besides, I actually have two more points in lab than you do!”
“That’s my fault,” Mark said. “Sorry.”
“Eh, I still have an A+ in biology,” I said with a grin. “And the redhead here only has an A- because her homework and quizzes were subpar until she started studying with me. So I’ll get the better grade in the end!”
“What are we dissecting today?” she asked.
“Some kind of snake, now that we’re into vertebrates,” I said.
“I thought they were serving dinner with the bivalves and crustaceans!” Mark laughed.
“Uh, I usually don’t cook with formaldehyde!” Angie said, making a face.
“I hear snake tastes pretty good,” I said. “Though I have to agree with Angie on the chemicals.”
“Pig tastes good too, but the fetal pigs are going to totally gross me out!” Mark said.
“So, not a surgeon,” I grinned. “Got it.”
“How the HELL are you going to handle blood and guts and stuff all over you?” he asked.
I shrugged, “We’ll find out, won’t we? That’s one of the make or break points for trauma. If I can’t, although I think I can, then I end up in internal medicine or something like that. But I didn’t freak out in fourth grade when I put pressure on a terrible cut from a classmate. I just took off my shirt and stopped her from bleeding to death.”
“Seriously?”
I nodded, “Seriously. It made the papers. That’s why I want to be a doctor.”
“Wow!” he said, shaking his head. “I would have run screaming.”
“Like most of the kids on the playground,” I said. “Except for a couple of boys who thought it was cool she was bleeding all over the place.”
“Degenerates,” Angie spat.
“Nine-year-old boys,” I chuckled.
“Same thing!” she retorted.
It was time to start, so we opened the packaging and removed the preserved garter snake. We took turns doing each step, and when we finished, the three of us had done a perfect dissection in the tray, with the snake’s innards properly visible. Angie did the sketch for our report, saying she was very good at freehand, and when I saw the finished product, I agreed with her. My drawings were acceptable; hers were very good.
“Good job exposing Duvernoy’s gland without damaging it,” Joe said when he reviewed our work.
“Mike has the hot hand with the scalpel,” Mark offered.
“I sure as hell hope so!” Joe said with a laugh. “Jack the Ripper is not what I look for in a doctor and I see a lot of that kind of work here!”
We cleaned up the lab, and went back to the dorms to wash up and change, and then went to lunch. After lunch, Angie walked with me to work.
“Just so we’re clear, you’re OK if I have dinner with her on Friday to talk?” I asked.
“Sure. That last thing I want is six months or a year from now, to have invested the time and effort and have you decide you made a mistake by not talking to her. I’d rather know before we get serious. Does that make sense?”
“Perfectly.”
“One more thing, Mike. When we get to THAT point, you know the one I mean, have it all out of your system. All of it. I won’t tolerate any deviation. Are we clear?”
I chuckled, “Crystal. Threesomes with your friends BEFORE you and I move past kissing. Check!”
Angie laughed, “There are limits to what I can accept, even before then. I think you know what I mean.”
I nodded, “Do you want me to say it out loud?”
“Yes. It’s the only way to know if we’re clear. I don’t want a repeat of what happened between you and Nancy.”
“Not saying it’s going to happen in either case, but you’re telling me if I want to be with Emmy, or I want to be with Nancy, then do it now, because I give up ANY chance of such a thing happening the moment we move past those ‘good night’ kisses.”
“You are a smart man, Mr. Loucks. Look, I have no weird idea that we have to come into this relationship as virgins or anything, but I do believe in strict fidelity. You can have friends like Jocelyn, but step across that line even once, and you’ll find out just how good I am with a scalpel. Understood?”
“Absolutely. Do you know where the word testify comes from?”
“No, but I think I can guess now that you ask that question.”
“Exactly. Swearing by what you just threatened to cut off.”
“Nice! I’m not, by the way, giving you license to go crazy. Just a chance to sort out and end those relationships in the way you think best. If you want to, that is.”
“That’s why I articulated the exact things I felt you were thinking about. Well, minus the silly fantasy.”
Angie laughed, “Oh, it’s not silly at all! They’d go for it. But it would mean you decided you didn’t want to be with me.”
“Fair enough. The clarity is refreshing.”
It was, especially given what had happened with Nancy, but also with what had happened with Jocelyn. I’d actually learned several things from being with Emmy and Becky, and the most important was that everything was MUCH easier if everyone was just honest about the situation. Even the ‘one-night stand’ with Becky was sitting reasonably well with me because we talked it out and explained ourselves. Angie seemed to grasp that in the same way Becky and Emmy had. And in a slightly different way, Tasha had.
We reached the door of the Quick Mart and I stopped.
“Have a good day at work,” Angie said. “See you tonight at dinner.”
We exchanged a chaste kiss and a hug.
“You’re really serious about making this work,” I observed.
“Deadly. The game of life is for keeps, Mike. We can’t mess around now. Well, we could, but neither of us wants to.”
“True.”
I went into the store and got my smock, then checked with Paula for anything that needed to be done.
“That was fast,” she said sourly.
“What?”
“You broke up with Nancy last Friday and you have a girlfriend already?”
I shook my head, “That chaste kiss you saw was the absolute limit. Angie and I are friends, close friends, but she’s not my girlfriend. I’m going to talk to Nancy when she comes in and if she’s willing, take her out on a date on Friday.”
“And tell her about the redhead?”
“Sure. There’s nothing to hide. Angie and I study and run together. We’re in a few classes together. But what you saw is it. I could kiss you that way and it wouldn’t mean you’re my girlfriend, would it?”
“No, I suppose not.”
“And because I’m fairly certain Nancy told you what happened, Angie is NOT the reason. It was a girl back home who would have more claim to me being her boyfriend if she wanted because we dated all Summer. But we never became a couple, just like Nancy and I never became a couple. And I’ll point out you offered me a ‘test drive’ to try to entice me away from Nancy. Did you think I was going to cheat? Or?”
“I didn’t think you were a couple.”
“Then there was nothing wrong with it. Look, I don’t cheat. I never have and I never will. Integrity is important. So is fidelity. But fidelity has degrees between a first date and a marriage. I know the line and I won’t cross it.”
“You feel pretty strongly about that, obviously.”
“Yes, and about having sex with someone on what amounts to false pretenses. I could have taken you up on your offer, had fun for a few weeks or months, then broken up with you. And I could simply claim it wasn’t working. Would you have preferred that to an outright ‘no’?”
Paula shook her head, “No. Will you answer a question?”
“I’ll try.”
“If I had just asked you to have some no-strings-attached fun, would you have?”
“Maybe; maybe not. It would have depended on the situation. But I strongly suspect you would have had an ulterior motive, given your circumstances, so most likely I would have said ‘no’. As much fun as it might be, one, or both, of us would be hurt.”
“Nancy was dumber than I thought,” she sighed.
I shook my head, “No, she has demons she has to fight. They’re the problem.”
“Demons? Like honest-to-goodness evil beings?”
I shrugged, “They exist, at least in our minds, when we’re tormented by things. Assigning a personal being to that torment can help. It gives you something to fight rather than just an idea.”
“Interesting.”
“I need to get to work,” I said.
My last Thursday shift was busy, and I didn’t have any time to talk to Paula or to Nancy when she first came in. I did, finally, have time just before her break.
“Will you go out with me on Friday? Dinner, ice cream, and some time to talk?”
“Yes!” Nancy gushed. “Oh, yes! I thought you would tell me you didn’t ever want to see me again today!”
“I wouldn’t do that without talking to you.”
Her excitement deflated somewhat, “That could happen after we talk on Friday?”
I nodded, “Yes, but I’m coming with an open mind. I promise.”
She smiled, “Thanks.”
When my shift ended I headed straight to the dining hall for dinner, and then back to the dorm for study group. Afterwards, I let Angie know I’d be out with Nancy on Friday, but that I was ‘all hers’ after my Saturday shift at work until Monday morning. After our evening prayers, I walked her to the border, we exchanged a chaste ‘good night’ kiss and then both headed to bed.
October 23, 1981, McKinley, Ohio
“What are we going to do when it gets cold next month?” Angie asked as we walked into the dorm after jogging Friday morning.
“We’ll run on the indoor track at the gym. It’s behind the upper bleachers. But in January, I plan to go back to karate lessons. They’ll be 11:30am to 12:30pm every weekday. That’s the only time that really works.”
“I wonder if my mom and dad would pay for that. How much does it cost?”
“We’ll have to check what Sensei Hikaru charges new students. I transferred from a dojo in West Monroe, so things are a bit different. We could go to Dojo Kobayashi Hikaru tomorrow afternoon if you want. I need to let Sensei know I’m going to start up again in January.”
“Let’s do that. That sounds a lot more fun than running!”
I grinned, “I can think of other exercises that are even more fun!”
“I don’t think you can do that long enough to burn calories like running or karate!”
“Care to help me test that theory?” I grinned.
“Ask me that question seriously when you think I’m ready.”
“Another test, Miss Stephens?”
“You haven’t failed any yet. I think you’ll know.”
I nodded, “OK. Showers then prayers. Join me?”
“I’ll see you in your room for morning prayers in fifteen minutes!” Angie laughed. “The other will have to wait!”
We showered, individually, then met for morning prayers. When we finished, we went to breakfast, and then to class. After my last class for the day, I did homework in my room until it was time to head to the Quick Mart to pick up Nancy.
“Will you let me cook for you?” Nancy asked. “We have ice cream at home, too.”
I considered the positives and negatives, and in the end, felt I could accept the gesture.
“Sure,” I said. “Do we need to stop at the store?”
“No. I bought what I might need last night. It wouldn’t go to waste if you had said ‘no’.”
“Then let’s walk back to campus and get my car.”
We did, and about twenty-five minutes after leaving the Quick Mart we were at the Landers’ house. I parked in the driveway and we went inside.
“Where’s your mom?” I asked.
“Out with some friends.”
“Does she ever date?”
“No. My parents are still legally married. She’ll file for divorce at some point, but I think she was really hoping deep in her heart he would come back, if only to explain things.”
“Won’t he have to respond to the divorce?”
“She has no idea where to serve him. According to the lawyer she talked to, she has to file based on abandonment, and then there are things she has to do to try to find him.”
“Shouldn’t that be easy? If he’s working, he’s paying taxes. Surely the government knows where he is.”
“Mom thinks he’s using a phony name. You know, get a birth certificate from a kid who died and never had a social security number, or at least never worked if they had one. Supposedly you can pull it off if you’re smart and have never been fingerprinted.”
“Wild. Would you like some help with dinner?”
“Sure. Come on. I’m making sautéed chicken breasts with white wine and corn on the cob. You can shuck and clean the corn while I make the chicken.”
I did as she asked, then put the corn into a pot of boiling water to which Nancy had me add milk and sugar. She cooked the boneless chicken breasts and when everything was done, we sat down to eat. The chicken was very good, and the corn was some of the best I’d ever had, though I used enough butter and salt that it probably killed some of the flavor. We didn’t talk much, and when we finished eating, I offered to help with the dishes.
“You seem to have done this before,” Nancy observed.
“My sister and I had chores which included cleaning up the kitchen and doing dishes after meals. I’d MUCH rather do that than vacuum, dust, mop, or scrub floors!”
Nancy laughed, “I can see that. Did you do your own laundry?”
“Since about thirteen, I guess, though Mom still irons my shirts.”
“And here at college?”
“I don’t wear dress shirts. I had to, back home, when I was serving in the altar.”
“That’s right, you were an altar boy.”
“We call them acolytes, but yes. The requirement was a white or black dress shirt and a tie. If I’m not serving, I just wear a polo shirt in the Summer or rugby shirt like the one I have on now when it gets colder.”
“Shall we get some ice cream and go in the other room?” Nancy asked.
“Sure.”
She went to the freezer and got a carton of Neapolitan ice cream and scooped some into two small bowls. She put the carton away, got two spoons from the drawer, and we went into the living room. She turned on the stereo to an ‘easy listening’ station and we sat down to eat our ice cream.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“I accepted your apology.”
“You did. So, where are we?” she asked.
“Sitting in your living room, eating ice cream,” I grinned.
She laughed, “That might be a bit too literal of an answer.”
“Actually, it’s not, now that I think about it. It is where we are. When you made me leave last Friday, I assumed it was over and that kind of reset everything in my mind. So we ARE sitting in your living room eating ice cream, both literally and figuratively.”
“Did I blow it?”
I chuckled, “No. I think I’d remember if you had!”
Nancy laughed, “See, that sense of humor IS in there.”
“And the serious answer is you certainly created big problems. Whether or not they’re insurmountable, I don’t know.”
“How do we find out?”
“I think you need to tell me what you need, and what you can give, and work on your commitment issues.”
“I figured you would say something like that,” Nancy said with a smirk. “I thought of a smart-ass answer, but I figured it was a bad idea.”
“It depends on how funny it is!” I grinned.
“It wasn’t funny, just totally out of line.”
“You won’t offend me if you say it.”
“I was going to say what I needed was a good hard fucking and what I could give was hopefully a very good blowjob.”
“You’re right, giving that as your answer would have been a bad idea given where we are right now. What’s the non-smart-ass answer?”
“One of them is easy, and that’s what I want. Someone to spend time with, to get to know, to love me. And I mean both emotionally and physically. The other two, well, you know the problem. I couldn’t even get dating you right. I lost it because you went out with another girl when I had no right to complain because I couldn’t figure things out. I’m a mess.”
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,...
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...
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...
May 30, 1981, West Monroe, Ohio It was with more than a little trepidation that I drove home from karate class. I didn’t really want to talk to April, but I knew I had to. The bottom line was church. It didn’t matter to a lot of people, but it mattered to me. I feared that my conversation with April was simply going to go around in circles, and end with her crying again. Unfortunately, I didn’t see how that could be avoided. “You should go see her,” Mom said when I came downstairs after my...
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...