Chapter 42

It is almost a given that incredibly intelligent children are exceptionally mature or exceptionally objectionable. Intelligence is no guarantee of common sense.

Chuck - Charles - Charlie - Hey You - Chas - the youngest Austin sib was the best time Wendolyn - Vee - Princess Extraordinaire - the youngest Wanzor and ... if one believed Berlin ... and Vee didn't ... some kind of Prussian, Polish, Hungarian, Rumanian, Czechoslovakian Duchess all together or separately ... or something else equally impossible ... had had in her fifteen years. Not that they did much.

The Dean gave Vee a note and asked Charles to deliver her to the Admissions Office.

"Ask for Carolyn ... she'll do the rest."

Chuck had a vehicle and off they went ... well, as soon as Vee performed her aerial magic ... to Ferris.

Vee asked, "Why are you in summer school, Charley?"

"Ever been to the UP?"

"Only to cast flowers on the family tomb, why?" she said.

"On the hottest day in the summer, if you dig down in the sand at the beach ... you don't strike water ... you strike ice. Summer is three months of bad skiing," commented Chuck as he maneuvered his pickup around the gawkers looking at the airshow. PH-31(Bus) was packed.

"That bad?"

"Worse ... I have two older sisters and three older brothers."

"I have always wanted sibs," she said mistily ... with a sniff.

"I have always wanted to be an only child," he replied. "David has always been my nemesis."

With a catch in her throat, Vee said, "David James?"

"How did you know?" he replied.

"SHIT! and fall back in it!" Vee exclaimed.

"What?" asked Charles, as he swerved back in the road.

"The Princesses have a history of marrying David James Austin. Mother says it's cheaper."

"Cheaper?"

"Don't have to put up with changing all the documents. It's expensive."

PH-31 and M-20 merge at the main gate ... not that there's a gate but everybody calls it that. Or so said Chuck. A few blocks later he pulled up in front of a mostly glass building.

"This is Timme Center for Student Services. It's where the Admissions, Business Office, Financial Aid Office and the University President's Office hide out."

Chuck parked out front and hung a student business hanger from his mirror.

"That looks important, Charles, are you important?" Vee asked.

"Sorta ... I'm the official ABC guide ... but only in the summer. The rest of the time I'm either in class, going to class, studying for class or asleep ... and damn little of that."