“At Morehead State”

I met Jeanne at freshman orientation. Corny. I get it.
Belmont University, not that you asked. We’d made it to our senior years. It was getting on toward the middle of March, the snow had all melted from our one February mini-blizzard. Still, it’s not like it was spring or anything. Me and Jeanne were both in flannel long underwear under our jeans.
We stopped first at Ralph’s house, after the Belmont basketball team’s championship game against Murray St. that went into OT. That is, the Monday after that. Mondays and Wednesdays our earliest class was Asperger’s lab at 11:30. Jeanne woke up in a good mood on these days, so let’s just say, they were good days.
Anyway, Ralph’s. Dude comes to the door in no shirt. It’s like dude, c’mon. I always forget why I ever go over to Ralph’s.
“What’re you doin’,” I said, more so than asked. Jeanne giggled a little bit. We were probably going to get married within 16 months.
“What am I doin’?” He shouted back at me.
I am tryin’ to find my chemistry book.”
Jeanne and I helped him look for his chemistry book. I asked Jeanne if she thought it smelled in the house.
“Here it is,” we finally heard Ralph say, from the other room.
“Yaaaaaayyy,” said Jeanne. I started clapping.
“Just what we wanted,” I said.
“Saw you guys on TV the other night,” said Ralph. “You were at the game. Some serious school spirit.”
He was mocking us for having school spirit. I’d seen this before. It made me want to go to Asperger’s lab. And not to value that over going to the basketball games. Just to retain yourself, to keep yourself in freakin’ working order, honed in as a single individual forced to take multiple shapes in this town. I went to Asperger’s lab later, with Jeanne. I bought her a hot chocolate before class. It would still be a couple weeks before it would warm up. Up north they tapped maple trees this time of year, but I was a southern boy, I had to be nice to everyone. I got good grades, and I had the best girlfriend on campus. We’d gone to the game at Morehead State together. We were up five with a minute to go, and then they had tied it up. I just cheered louder and louder for our own team. Nothing else was in my blood.

Leave a Comment