Paying for College - The Novel Page 19

  ***

  The next day, I met Phaedra at the campus coffee shop at the Student Union. I had my books sprawled out across the table while my backpack occupied a chair.

  Phaedra came to my table and stood there, “Hey there.”

  “Hey right back at you. What’re you doing?”

  “I’m starving.”

  “Grab some food then.”

  She walked to the food counter and stood in line to get a coffee. After ordering, she returned and sat across from me and opened the packaging to her egg salad sandwich.

  “I didn’t see you leave last night.”

  “I had to leave early. I had to prepare for a tough exam this Thursday.”

  “That’s too bad.”

  “How’s your dad.”

  “Daddy’s fine.”

  “Just let me know if your dad will host another dinner or social function. I think if I meet your dad several more times, we’ll forge our eternal friendship.”

  “I’m not sure. It takes a while for daddy to adjust to new people. Some people think he can be too strict, too reserved.”

  “Oh, no way. He’s just misunderstood. I have a way with people. By the way, who was that guy who sat next to you last night?”

  Phaedra turned reddish, dropped her sandwich on the table, and looked away, “That’s nobody”

  “I think I recognize him. Isn’t he the water boy for the hockey team?”

  “Water boy. Yeah, right. He’s the captain.”

  “Captain? Ah, that’s why. He’s always sitting next to the large water dispenser. I guess I got them confused. What did you guys talk about last night?”

  Phaedra looked away again, “Nothing.”

  “I bet you he has a fancy Ford Fiesta.”

  Phaedra remained quiet.

  “Or I bet you he drives a nice spiffy Honda.”

  “I think it’s a Mercedes or something.”

  Oh, now I knew who this prick was. I’ve only seen one Mercedes on this campus, and it has to be this dude’s. Next time I see it, I’ll pick up a rock and hurl it at the car as it speeds by. I answered, “I think I saw that car. It’s white, isn’t it?”

  “I think so. Why? You getting jealous.”

  I pointed at myself, “Who me? Maybe just a little. The dude never offered me a ride.”

  “Perhaps you didn’t ask him politely.”

  I snapped my fingers. “You’re right. I’ve always been rude to the guy.” I lifted my knee up to the table and rubbed my thigh, “Next time, I’ll just show him a little more leg. Perhaps wiggle my behind. Throw a kiss in his direction.”

  Phaedra started laughing. Then she added, “He’s not gay.”

  “Are you sure? Maybe he hasn’t met the right guy yet.”

  “Yeah right.”

  “It doesn’t matter anyway. He’s not likely to be drafted into the big leagues.”

  “No, but he has plans.”

  “Really? What kind of plans?”

  “He president of both the debate club and fraternity, and he made the Dean’s list every semester.”

  “That’s impressive. You keep talking about him like this, you’ll make me gay.”

  Phaedra started laughing again. Then she stood up, “I gotta go. I’ve gotta study at the library.”

  I looked at her half-eaten sandwich, “Aren’t you still hungry.”

  “No. I’m full now. Bye.”

  “Bye.”

  Then she walked away.

  The male student sitting at the next table turned to look at me, “Sorry dude, but I think you’ve lost her.”

  “Hey stranger, I don’t want to sound rude, but you shouldn’t eavesdrop on other people’s conversation.”

  “Look, man. I’ve been there. I ignored all the warning signs until it was too late. I woke up one morning, and she dumped me for this other guy.”

  “Thanks for your opinion, but I got a backup plan. I’ll just shackle her to my bed in the dorm room. That way, she’s got no choice.”

  “Whatever, man.”

  But the guy was right. Phaedra was falling for the superstar. How could I win her back? Perhaps I could steal Steve’s car and sink it in the river. Then an old memory rose from the murky depths of my mind...

  Now I remember it all. It makes sense. I had to be around eight or nine, when my dad and his two large buddies went to my mom’s work one night. We all sat in a car waiting.

  Mom kept talking about this one customer who kept coming in and giving her compliments at the video store, where my mom was the shift manager. Then mom started dressing nicer and dabbed a little more makeup before work. She even started to go to work earlier.

  Dad would question her at the dinner table, she always replied, “Don’t be jealous. He’s no body; he’s just a regular customer.”

  My dad would drop his fork onto his half-eaten dinner plate and leave the table.

  One night, my dad, his two large friends, and I waited in the car parked on the side parking lot of mom’s video store.

  A thin guy wearing spectacles, a blue dress shirt tucked into his faded blue jeans with a blue striped tie dangling in front emerged from my mom’s video store.

  My dad said, “That’s the guy.” Then dad looked at me, “Wait here, boy. We’re just going to talk to the guy.”

  “Why daddy?”

  “Sometimes men must chat to each other. Set things straight.”

  My dad and his two friends got out of the car and caught the stranger before he could get into his car.

  I stood on my knees and peered over the passenger’s seat to get a better view out the back car window.

  My dad’s friend punched the stranger in the stomach while the stranger fell to the ground holding his midsection.

  My dad kicked him in the face, and his spectacles flew and landed under his car. My dad screamed, “Stay away from her or you’re dead.”

  The stranger started sobbing, “Please don’t. I promise. I’ll stay away.” Then dad and his friends returned to the car.

  “Dad, can I see mom?”

  “How about we go get some ice cream?”

  “Okay.”

  As dad pulled out of the parking lot, he said, “Just remember, don’t let another man touch your stuff. If you let a man touch your stuff once, then he’ll think he owns it…”

  Coming out of my memory, I thought about my dad a little more and couldn’t finish studying. I collected my books and stuck them in my backpack.

  The cashier came over, “I’m sorry, but your friend didn’t pay.”

  “Why am I not surprised.” I grabbed the receipt and examined it. She even bought a sandwich and banana that I didn’t see when she came to the table. “Wow, it looks like I bought her two lunches.”

  I returned the receipt to the cashier, “You can send this receipt to the athletic department to the captain of the hockey team.”

  The cashier gave me a puzzled look, “I don’t understand.”

  I pulled out my wallet and handed her a twenty. “I’m just kidding. Keep the change.”

  The guy sitting at the next table looked over again, shaking his head back and forth. “Man, she looks like trouble.”

  I said, “Perhaps it’s better for that other guy to take her. Then he can take over the payments.”

  We exchanged chuckles.

  I grabbed my things and walked to the athletes’ dormitory to check out my competition. I roamed the hallways but didn’t see anyone. Then I walked around the parking lot behind the dormitory.

  I spotted the white Mercedes with shiny chrome rims and pinstripes parked near the back entrance. Of course, it has to be a brand new Mercedes. I saw a good size rock by the tree. I went over and picked it up. I tossed the rock back and forth between my hands. Then I hurled the rock as hardest I could throw.

  Crack! The rock hit a tree.

  I knew it would be crazy to hurl a rock at a brand new Mercedes, especially in broad daylight with a thousand spectators walking along the sidewa
lks around the dorm.

  I thought, how could I keep Phaedra? Should I be like dad and get two friends to gang up on him and beat him up? Or should I go to the construction store and get some heavy duty chains and padlocks. Then I could kidnap Steve and chain him to a tree in the woods and use him for bear bait. Or should I just kidnap him and sodomize him with a hockey stick. I’ll sodomize him so bad, he’ll never walk straight again, let alone ice skate. Nah, I’m not gay. But is it gay to violate him with a hockey stick? Hmmm. Dad’s right. An old-fashioned ass kicking would do the trick. I wonder if I can find the phone number to my dad’s friends.