Good Medicine Freshman YearChapter 22 Fallout
- 2 years ago
- 29
- 0
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 guy, but that turned out to be wrong. When the first victim could talk to the police, she gave a description that was just as I said. But I was here, which you confirmed.”
“Yes, I did. What are you doing tonight, Katy?”
“We’re going to a Chinese place in Columbus.”
“OK. Have a good time. Your dad and I will be at the Johnsons’ until late.”
“OK, Mom! Have fun!”
“Oh yes, I LIVE for these socials with bankers!” Mrs. Malenkov laughed.
“I heard that, Kat!” Mr. Malenkov called from the other room.
Katy laughed and grabbed my hand and led me to the door, then out to my car. She gave me basic directions and we set out for Columbus.
“Once a month my dad’s boss has a social gathering at his house. And if you think our house is nice, well, it’s nothing compared to Mr. Johnson’s house. They have an indoor pool, a tennis court, a putting green, and a live-in maid and live-in butler.”
“That sounds a bit excessive, don’t you think?” I asked.
“If you have the money, why not use it?” Katy asked.
“I suppose. It’s just hard for me to imagine having that kind of money.”
“Doctors make really good money.”
“Eventually,” I replied.
“How was your week?”
“Pretty good. And yours?”
“The same as always. About the only excitement in my life is our Friday night date!”
“What about over the Summer?” I asked.
“How far is it from West Monroe to Circleville?”
“Almost an hour because there isn’t a direct route here.”
“Would you be willing to drive up on Fridays?”
“I could probably manage most Fridays, sure. There are a couple of weekends I’ll be doing stuff, but mostly I’ll be free.”
“If it gets too late, we have a guest room you could use.”
“That’s good to know. Let’s talk about it when we’re closer to the end of the semester.”
“Sure.”
“You sound a bit down,” I observed. “Not your usual chipper self.”
“I think I’m just tired. I haven’t been sleeping well this week.”
“Is something wrong?” I asked.
“No, everything is fine.”
“What’s bugging you?” I asked.
Katy sighed deeply, “All I can think about is being with you.”
“And that’s depressing?” I asked, keeping my voice light.
“No, silly!” Katy laughed. “What’s depressing is NOT doing it!”
“Then I think we need to talk about what it would mean,” I said.
“You aren’t ready to be tied down?”
“I suppose it depends what you mean. There’s a big difference between going steady and getting engaged. People have different views of what taking that step means, and when they should take it, including waiting until they marry.”
“But you’ve done it before?”
I nodded, “Yes, I have.”
“But not with anyone you’re seeing now?”
“No. Not with anyone I’m seeing now.”
“And you want to do it with me?”
“Only if you’re truly ready and we agree on what it means. Otherwise, it’s setting us up for a disaster, either now or in the future.”
“It sounds like it’s up to me to decide for both of us.”
“No, but obviously I don’t think it’s something you only do with your wife after you marry. If you tell me what it means to you, then I can consider whether I can make whatever commitment it is you want.”
“It’s not an easy answer,” she sighed. “That’s why I haven’t been sleeping as much as I should. I keep going over it in my mind. I WANT to do it, I’m just not sure.”
“I think that’s a normal reaction,” I said. “I was nervous, and even a bit scared.”
“I thought guys just wanted to do it with anyone they could.”
I laughed softly, “I’ll admit that’s generally a true statement, but I don’t think that way. And don’t you think a guy could be nervous the first time? It’s a totally new thing he’s never done, and he’s there, naked with a girl, who expects him to know what to do and to do it right.”
Katy laughed nervously, “I suppose.”
“There’s no need to rush, Katy. We have plenty of time. And we don’t want to make a mistake.”
“OK,” she said.
Except for giving directions, Katy was quiet the rest of the way to the restaurant. I knew she was deep in thought about the conflict between her heart, her mind, and her body. I wondered if I’d pushed things forward too far, too fast the previous Friday, causing desires to well up in Katy that she was having difficulty controlling. I also wondered how this would change our relationship, one way or the other.
I also needed to consider what it might mean for Melody, Angie, and Tasha, which meant I would have to carefully evaluate what Katy said and be sure I could live with the ramifications of my decisions. I knew that if she expected an engagement ring to follow going to bed, then I couldn’t do it under any circumstances. I wasn’t ready to make that kind of commitment to anyone. If it was exclusivity, could I REALLY agree, knowing that if Angie asked me to go with her I would?
The discussion I’d had with Melody had focused on the point that Angie might NEVER come around. What had been left unsaid was that it was entirely possible her difficulties were caused by something far deeper than simply having seen her parents engaged in sex. And if that was the case, then pursuing any kind of physical or romantic relationship with her was basically a fool’s errand. The problem was, that I didn’t know.
“Are we ordering our own, or sharing?” Katy asked after we’d been seated.
“I was planning on a purely vegetarian option,” I said. “So long as you get shrimp or chicken we can share.”
“You’re sure chicken is OK?”
“That was our compromise,” I said. “And we don’t have to share, so you can order whatever you like.”
“I like sharing,” she smiled.
“Order what you like, Katy.”
I ordered stir fried vegetables with a spicy Szechuan sauce and after a hesitation, Katy ordered a spicy chicken dish. Katy was still quiet, but I didn’t know how to even begin to talk to her about her internal struggle. I’d had my own, but I couldn’t imagine what it was like from a girl’s perspective.
Our food arrived and we shared as we’d discussed. We ate with minimal conversation and I was becoming more and more uncomfortable with the silence. When we finished eating, Katy offered to pay and I agreed. We walked quietly to the car and headed back to Circleville. About fifteen minutes into the drive, Katy put her left hand on my right hand which I had lightly on the shifter as I regularly needed to shift between 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gears on the winding, hilly road.
“I’m sorry I ruined the evening,” she said quietly.
“You didn’t ruin it,” I said. “I enjoy being with you.”
“But I haven’t talked to you.”
“That’s going to happen sometimes, no matter what, I think. I’ve seen my parents quiet when they were contemplating things. I’m sure you have, too.”
“Sure, but we only get to see each other once a week.”
“That’s true, and we also have the real potential obstacle of you going to college in eighteen months. I know it seems like a long time, but it’s something we have to think about.”
“You know my dad suggested MIT, Stanford, and Georgia Tech for computers. We wouldn’t be able to see each other if I do that.”
“That would complicate things,” I agreed.
“Do you think I should go to college close by so we can keep seeing each other?”
“Can we take a half-step back?”
“What do you mean?”
“Have you decided what you want to do for a career?”
“Not really.”
“I think that’s the first thing you have to decide. Then you can decide what colleges are best. I guess you can afford to go anywhere you want?”
“Dad told me there were no restrictions and I could go anywhere.”
“What kinds of things are you considering?”
“Computers, like you suggested. Maybe accounting. Or maybe journalism because I’m on the school paper. I could go to Ohio State for any of those, but I think my dad wants me to go to an Ivy League school.”
“And what’s he going to say if you decide to go to Ohio State because of me?”
Katy laughed softly, “Dad will be fine. Mom will have a cow. Remember, I told you she’s the one to watch out for.”
“You did mention that. Has she been a problem in the past?”
“Sort of. She didn’t like either of the guys I dated last year.”
“Does she like me?” I asked apprehensively.
“I think, if you’ll pardon the silly lawyer joke, the jury is still out. She was concerned about the call from the police the other night, but when it was obvious you couldn’t have done it because you were at the house, she chilled. You go to our church, the priest likes you, Mr. and Mrs. Sokolov like you, and you’re going to be a doctor, so I think she’ll be OK.”
“And that would be a deciding factor?” I asked.
“Not if I loved a guy. If it was just dating, then it wouldn’t be worth the hassle. It wasn’t last year.”
“And I am?” I laughed as I turned onto the road her house was on.
“You’re the only guy who I’ve ever let touch me, even over my sweater,” she said quietly. “What do you think?”
“That I have the benefit of the doubt, at least.”
“Silly boy!” Katy laughed. “I like you. A lot. I really do.”
I turned into the driveway and parked in what had become my designated spot. We got out of the car and I walked Katy to the door, and she invited me in, as she had each previous time. As usual, we took off our shoes by the front door, then walked further into the house.
“Would you like something to drink?” Katy asked.
“Sure. Whatever you’re having.”
“Vodka tonic?” she laughed.
“I’m driving, so that’s probably a bad idea!”
“7-Up it is!” she laughed.
She went to the kitchen and got two bottles of 7-Up and then led me up to her room. She put on some music and we sat close together on the loveseat. We drank our soft drinks, listening to the soft music. Katy didn’t say anything until we both set our bottles on the table in front of us.
“Excuse me a minute,” she said.
She got up and went into her bathroom and two minutes later, I heard the toilet flush, then water run in the sink, and then she came out and sat very close to me.
“Mike,” she asked softly. “Do you want to kiss me?”
“Yes.”
“And touch me?”
“Yes. But...”
She put a finger on my lips.
“Second base, OK?”
I nodded. I was surprised when she stood up and went to close the door to her room. She came back and took my hand and tugged gently. I stood up and she led me to the side of her bed.
“Katy,” I said gently.
“Second base,” she whispered, then climbed onto her bed on top of the quilt that covered it. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but climbed on after her. We lay side-by-side on our backs for a moment, then I moved my arm and put it around Katy’s shoulders. She snuggled close and put her head on my chest. We cuddled for a few minutes, and then Katy raised her head for a kiss.
We touched our lips together, and when hers parted, I slowly pressed my tongue into her mouth. Katy moaned softly and I gently pushed her onto her back. As we continued our French kiss, I slid my right hand under her sweater and was surprised to find she’d removed her bra. I ran my fingers over the bare flesh of her firm breast, then cupped it lightly, feeling her nipple press into my palm. As I caressed her, she tugged on my rugby shirt, and once it was free of my jeans, she slipped her hand inside, and ran it over my back.
We kissed and caressed each other for several minutes, then I slowly slid my hand from Katy’s breast to her flat stomach, and then under the waist of her jeans, my fingers slipping inside her cotton panties. I ran my fingers gently through her sparse pubic hair and Katy broke the kiss.
“Please touch me,” she begged, whispering.
We resumed our kiss and I slid hand further into her panties until my middle finger came in contact with her labia. I applied gentle pressure and moved my fingertip in slow circles around her most sensitive spot. Katy broke our kiss, gasping for breath.
“Just like that,” she said breathlessly. “Oh ... yes ... ungh ... yes ... UNGH!”
Her body stiffened, shuddered, and then relaxed. I kissed her softly, pushed my finger further along her labia to coat it with her juices, then broke the kiss and removed my hand from her panties. I brought my finger to my lips and she watched as I licked and sucked her juices from it.
“You like that?” she whispered.
I nodded, “I do.”
We moved so we could cuddle, and Katy put her head on my chest. She ran her left hand over my chest, then down to my stomach. She paused briefly, then moved her hand over my jeans, tracing her finger along my rock-hard erection. She traced the entire length, down and up, then took a deep breath. She slipped her hand inside my jeans, then under the waistband of my briefs. Her finger came in contact with my glans and I nearly lost it right there. I twitched hard, but a few deep breaths kept things under control.
Katy repeated what she’d done before, running her fingers along my length, then grasped me and squeezed gently.
“It feels strange,” she whispered. “It’s both hard and soft.”
She released her grasp and began exploring, gently cupping my testicles, and running her fingers along my shaft, eventually closing her thumb and forefinger around my glans, squeezing gently. I knew I couldn’t last much longer and it was going to make a complete mess.
“Katy,” I warned gently, “if you keep doing that, it’ll get really messy.”
“I want to make you feel good,” she said softly.
She had, and that was the problem, especially given the limits she’d set. What I wanted was to bury myself in her, but that wasn’t going to happen. Nor would I suggest ‘third base’ at this point, no matter how much I might want it.
“You could get tissues or a washcloth or something,” I suggested.
She released me and rolled over, and pulled a scarf from her nightstand and held it up. I nodded, and she pushed it into my briefs, wrapping my erection in soft material. She moved so we could kiss, and as our tongues touched, she began gently stroking me. It didn’t take long before I groaned into her mouth and shot jet after jet of semen into the scarf. Katy stroked me until I stopped twitching, then removed her hand, leaving the scarf in place. She broke the kiss and put her head on my chest again.
We lay together for about five minutes before I felt her push her hand into my briefs again. She ran her finger over my mostly flaccid shaft and glans, coating it with my fluids. She took her hand from my briefs, and I was surprised when she brought it to her lips. I watched intently as she pressed her finger into her mouth. Her face screwed up slightly, but she didn’t remove her finger until it was obviously clean.
“Weird,” she said.
I nodded and pulled her to me to exchange a French kiss.
“You OK?” I asked.
Katy smiled, “You have no idea...”
Actually, I had a pretty good idea given how good she’d made me feel with just her hand and the scarf.
“I should probably clean up before your parents get home,” I said.
“We still have a couple of hours,” she whispered. “We could do it again.”
“If you want,” I said.
“I do,” she sighed. “I really do.”
About an hour later, we got off the bed and I went to the bathroom to wash myself, and then Katy rinsed both scarves in hot water, wrung them out, then put them in the hamper. We straightened the bed, and she lit a scented candle before going back into the bathroom to put on her bra. When she came out, we sat on the loveseat and cuddled.
“What will you do if I go away to college?”
“That’s still almost eighteen months from now. I think everything depends on where we are at that point.”
“I know, but...”
I had a good idea what she was thinking. She wanted to go to bed with me, but was afraid of what would happen if we were apart for four years. Truth be told, I had no clue what might happen in the next five months, let alone over five years in the future. I liked Katy, a lot. But I wasn’t ready for any kind of permanent commitment. Exploring? Sure. Even going steady. But going steady with the implication that it meant marriage? Not at the point. COULD it lead there? Sure. But I wasn’t ready to make that kind of commitment to anyone.
“For now, can we just take things one day or, perhaps it’s better to say one week, at a time?”
Katy sighed, “I know we’ve only been dating two months, but I really, really like you. I’ve never liked anyone this much before.”
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...
First thing, I went looking for Tracy. She didn't see me come up behind her. I figured a little payback was in order so I gave her a hip check. Her head snapped around, and when she saw it was me, she got a big grin. "Hey, sexy boy," she purred. That got everyone's attention, and I actually blushed. She winked at me as she turned to go to her locker. It was nice to see her smiling. After school, I went to baseball tryouts. There were a lot of guys and even a few girls trying out. I...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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,...
I slid the report into the proper file just as he walked into the room. Dennis Butz stood there wearing his three-piece suit, looking as handsome and charming as any man could. But I was not to be tamed by his charm. "Hello, Linda," he said with a friendly grin. "Judge Herns isn't in today," I replied back in a frosty tone. "I'm not here to see her." "My plane leaves in less then an hour Dennis, what do you want?" I slammed the file drawer shut and walked past him to my desk...
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...
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...
Randi's Vacation Randi woke up to his alarm and quickly silenced it. A quick glance to his left confirmed the Denise was already up. She almost always got up before him preferring some extra time between getting ready for work and needing to walk out the door. He preferred to have enough time to get ready, eat and go. He walked to the bathroom which was right in the master bedroom. The condo they bought was a bit extravagant but provided plenty of room and they could afford it on...
Hum dono abhi bhi nange hi thay. Chalte chalte usne paad maari. Uski gaand mein abhi bhi haddi akti hui thi. Nadi kinare, jhadiyon ke bich usko bithaya. “Hug le saali madarchod. Kab se paad rahi jai bhosdiki.” Woh hugne lagi. Uski gaand se haddi nikal gayi. Uski garam moot ki dhaar mere pairo pe giri. “Saali maderjaat! Mere pairon pe mootegi. Saali raand muh khol,” main uske muh mein mootne laga. Lavda uske gale mein ghus kar mootne laga. Maine apni tange faila di aur wahi khade khade hugne...
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?...
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...
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 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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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...
Mera naam Rudra hai. Ek number ka harami aur besharam. Mera dimaag mere lavde mein hai, jo saala har waqt chudai ke liye uchalte rehta hai. Kasarati badan jo ghanto tak lavde ka saath deta hai. Waise toh bachpan se hi kaafi chudai ki hai. Lekin yeh wali sabse achi wali, ya yeh kahu ki sab se gandi wali hai. Main tab 30 saal ka tha. Shaadi hui nahi thi. Ghar mein rehta hi nahi tha. Naukri hi aisi thi ke sheher-sheher gaon-gaon bhatakna padta tha. Peshe se ek civil engineer, jiski degree paiso se...