Chapter 4: Onto College

Dr. Turner asked me to come into Whitman University to give blood so if he and his staff could find anything in my blood that differed from others. I was to be paid five hundred dollars. I agreed to meet with them a week after our graduation. I wanted to spend some time with Johnny doing exactly nothing. We drove to the mall, went window shopping, ate at a place called "Spuds" which was a fast food place that served so many varieties of things on baked potatoes. My personal favorite was spicy chili with cheddar cheese. We'd catch a movie or just take a drive around the town. Johnny had only a month before reporting to State for opening football practice. Their first game was against Tennessee in late August.

I showed up at Whitman on Monday. It had a small campus which was nearly empty due to the summer break. I found the science building where the Entomology Department sat. Dr. Turner was at his desk and greeted me warmly. He drew blood from my arm, introduced me to his entire staff. Doctor Beverly Taggart was the person who would study my blood. I was given the grand tour and surprised Dr. Turner how much I knew about the subject. I just confessed that it was all learned online over the internet. This impressed him. He asked me to view a few things under the microscope and I recognized many of the slides due to my knowledge from high school. He then offered me a job for the summer paying me two hundred and fifty dollars a week. I grabbed it instantly and stayed the rest of the day after phoning Mom and Johnny.

All I did the first day was to washout beakers and place them on the shelves for the real scientists to take when needed. It was like eight hours of washing dishes. I was given a set of Playtex gloves so my hands wouldn't be so wrinkled at the end of the day. I enjoyed meeting all the new people in the department.

"Sara, you better take a look at this," Dr. Turner said, motioning me over to Dr. Taggart's scope. I was allowed to look into it but nothing registered in my mind.

"You've got high platelets, proteins, and yet lower enzymes, very unusual," Beverly analyzed. "Of course we have to do many more tests and take further steps to see what is going on inside you."

"Nothing's the matter, is it?" I felt a little anxiety.

"Oh no, no, no. You are a very healthy girl. It's just that you look a little healthier than most people."

"What does that mean?"

"Have you had any colds or flu since you were stung?"

"No, but I attributed to drinking orange juice in the morning."

"Orange juice helps but is not a cure all. Let's see what shakes out as we do closer tests. You just might to have to give us some more blood," Beverly stated.

"Now?"

"Now's as good time as any."

Later that night Johnny and I walked to the park with Aggie tugging at the leash. She stopped at the pond to take a few laps of water before seeing some other dogs. We let her off the leash and she raced to play with them.

"I felt like a pin cushion," I smiled, with my head on Johnny's shoulder. Our arms about each other's waist.

"I bet."

With the longer days, it got darker later. Johnny and I started necking while Aggie was still at it with the other dogs. They seemed to be having a great time. She was the largest of all but didn't possess the speed or agility as the others. They were actually running rings around her. Once in a while she managed to pounce on one but as soon as she pinned it she'd let it up to resume playing. After about an hour she walked back to us looking exhausted as the other owners leashed their dogs to go home. We were both aroused so Aggie's return was a sign to break it off. We didn't have to put her on a leash. She followed us back to the yard where she drank almost a gallon of water.

June flew by. Before we knew it the 4th of July was upon us. Mom bought some tranquilizers for Aggie due to the fireworks display at the park. She needed them. She hid under my bed all throughout the entire display. It was a wonderful show with rockets and all other sorted lights and noises going off as Johnny's parents and mine shared two blankets while my honey and me sat on one behind them sneaking kisses and holding hands. Tomorrow Johnny was leaving for State to get settled. Practice was only four days away. After getting his room with a team mate, having his physical, registering for classes, getting his equipment issued; he was ready to start football. He was second on the depth chart behind Brad Miller the senior quarterback. I was very proud of him.

Since I didn't have to arrive until mid August, I continued my work at Whitman. Dr. Turner discovered that at my initial stinging I had enough venom put into me as a Mississauga rattlesnake. Not deadly, but to make one ill. Outside of fatigue and a sore arm, I suffered no other abnormalities. The toxicity was still in my system but at much lower levels than at first. I was made a case study having blood taken from me weekly. I didn't mind because maybe my transformation from "ugly duckling" to a very attractive woman might help someone else in the future. My last day at the lab was August 12th. My start day at State was the 15th. I spent those days shopping for a new wardrobe with the money I made and saved from Whitman University. I was so excited that I couldn't eat or sleep until the night before leaving. Daddy built a shelter from the sun for Aggie in case Mom wasn't home during the day. He promised to take good care of her to make sure she had enough exercise and water.

I didn't see much of Johnny because he was busy with classes and football practice. Even some weekends were out because those were game days. On the last minute of the first game of the season against Tennessee Brad Miller was hurt badly by being sacked by three huge linemen. The Tennessee coach had put in his second string because they were beating us handily. Johnny got in for two plays after they carted Brad away in an ambulance. There went State's season everyone thought. Johnny tossed two incomplete passes then the punting unit came on and the game ended in a rout against us.

The next week we played Western Kentucky. Johnny started off slow but by the middle of the first quarter he warmed up and started throwing strikes to his receivers.

Though this was lesser competition than Tennessee, we won 28-0. I waited for Johnny outside the stadium and we kissed when he emerged from showering. He looked tired and had a welt under his left eye. I reasoned that the lame kiss was because of that. I drove him to an A & W for some burgers and root beer. He was unusually quiet that evening. I wanted to ask him the reason but held it in because of the rough game he endured. College football was much harder than high school. It was his first game and he looked like he was full of anxiety. I drove him back to his athletic dorm and we kissed goodnight.

The next month I was engrossed in my studies. Going to classes, doing my homework, and studying. It didn't mean there was no time to play. A girl named Amanda was my room mate. She was short and a bit on the plump side. Huge breasted, long brown hair, pretty brown eyes and loads of fun. Her favorite food was pizza. That was the reason for her being a little overweight. If she had a figure like mine, the males on campus would be tripping all over themselves to get dates with her. I had a lot of offers but turned them down when I told them that my boyfriend was Johnny Wilson. Amanda and me would go to a local pizzeria about once a week. She went on her own more often than that but I limited myself to only Thursday nights since I had only one class on Fridays.

One night I received a call from his parents. They were worried about Johnny because they hadn't heard from him. I told them I'd hunt him down. I walked alone in the dark (not too wise on a college campus) to the athletic dorm. I stopped as shock shot through me. Johnny was with a tall beautiful blonde, they were kissing very passionately while kneading her breast. She had her hand on his crotch rubbing him. I had my mouth open as tears poured out of my eyes. They didn't see me at first. I knew her. Her name was Eleanor Pittman and was a part time model. Johnny saw me out of the corner of his eye, and broke the embrace. I was standing only ten feet away, speechless.

"Sara ... uh..."

"YOUR PARENTS WANT YOU TO CALL THEM!" I shrieked at him. I turned and ran. He started after me, but the last thing I heard was Eleanor saying.

"Let her go, she's not worth your time."

I ran and ran and ran, crying all the time. I don't know how I made it back to my dorm. Amanda was in our room as I threw myself onto my bed sobbing as my heart was breaking. I explained to her what I witnessed. She listened to me, stroking my hair. She let out many expletives about the male species. At any other time her remarks would have been surprising because she was boy crazy. I just continued to cry. Finally I undressed and got under the covers. Amanda turned out the lights and sat on the bed holding my hand until a restless sleep overcame me.

Next morning Johnny came by but Amanda met him in the foyer of our dorm telling him that I was in no condition to see him. She returned, handed me a note from him but I just threw it in the trash. She retrieved it for me and put it in the drawer of my desk.

In the weeks ahead, I threw myself into my studies. I ate little and slept less. Amanda noticed the dark circles under my eyes. Oh how I wished Hal had answered my emails but he never wrote me when I left Oregon two years ago. I realized I kissed him many times and I reasoned whether to forgive Johnny. However he crossed the line allowing Eleanor to stroke his manhood. Hal never went past just kissing me after I laid the rules down between us. Besides, I was jail bait for him back then. No, I couldn't forgive him. Ever. I didn't care what the football team did after that. They did make it to a bowl game but it didn't matter to me and I lost interest in its results or if Johnny Wilson became a star or a flop.

Meanwhile I went home for Thanksgiving. Johnny wasn't there because of practice for an upcoming game which made it easier for me. I went over to Whitman University to transfer there after my quarter at State was over. I also got my job back at the lab part time during school and full time in the summer. The more I did, the less I would think about Johnny. Let him go with that tease. As soon as she got all she wanted from him, she'd drop him like a bad habit and move onto someone else. I could see she was destined for stardom in the modeling industry or perhaps the movies.