Chapter 23: Settling In

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 dorm to use to take your things to your room. The dining hall opens today, so you'll be able to eat there if you want, but your meal plan doesn't start until Monday. Any questions?"

I shook my head, "Nope."

"Then sign here, please," she indicated a form clipped to the envelope.

I scanned the form, which acknowledged I had received all the things, opened the envelope to check, then signed the form and handed it to her.

"OK. You're all set. If you have any problems with your room, see the RA in their room. They can call maintenance or anything else you need."

"Thanks."

I left the main administration building and walked to Markley Dorm, which was named after a famous alumnus. I showed my ID, which I stuck in my wallet, and left with a cart. I'd parked in the lot just behind the dorm, so I didn't have far to go. Before I did anything else, I attached the parking sticker on the passenger side of the windshield, then opened the trunk and began putting things onto the cart. I decided I'd make two trips, so I unloaded about half of my things and wheeled them back into the building. A student was running one of the two elevators, which had a sign stating it was reserved for moving in. He waved me in.

"Sixth floor, please," I said.

He nodded, pressed the button, the door closed, and the elevator slowly ascended. When we reached the sixth floor, the doors opened, and I pushed the cart out.

"When you're unloaded, dial 222 on your phone to let us know, and I'll come back up."

"Thanks," I said.

I wheeled my cart to room 612 and unlocked the door with the key I'd extracted from the envelope. The room was a bit musty, so I went straight to the window and opened it. I stopped then to take stock of the room. There was a couch, two chairs, a coffee table, and two bookshelves. Both bedrooms were the same, containing a bed, a wardrobe, a chest with three drawers, a chair, a desk with two drawers, and a desk lamp. Above the desk was a shelf for books. Light was provided by a single overhead light. On the window was a sticker that forbade air conditioners, and I was suddenly glad I'd ended up with a window which faced north. Underneath the window was a radiator with a temperature control. I decided I'd get a fan when I was out.

The only difference in the rooms was where the door was. Because I usually slept on my right side, I took the left-hand room so my back would be to the door. Looking at the room, I saw that my mini fridge would fit in one corner, and I could put my boombox on top of it. The icons of Jesus and Mary would go on the wall above the shelf, and I could put the votive lamp and censer on the shelf under them. As usual, the icon of Michael would go at the head of my bed.

Given I didn't have to worry about my roommate for a few days, I simply unloaded the cart in the common area, then dialed 222 on the phone and said I needed the elevator on the sixth floor. I walked out and waited for it to arrive. I made the trip downstairs, and ten minutes later, I was in the common area, removing the mini-fridge from its carton and carrying it into my room. I put it in the corner, plugged it in, then took the two ice trays that went into the minimal freezer space and filled them with water.

Satisfied, I put my boombox on top of the fridge, plugged it in, and put in a tape of Piano Man by Billy Joel. At some point, I would probably want to bring the mini stereo system I had at home, but I wasn't sure where I could put it. For now, I'd make do with tapes and the radio. As the first notes of Travelin' Prayer came from the speakers, I walked back into the common room and began unpacking my books and putting them on the bookshelf that corresponded with my bedroom. Those boxes also contained my notebooks, loose-leaf paper, folders, pens, and pencils. By the time I finished, Billy Joel had sung Piano Man, Ain't No Crime, and You're My Home. As The Ballad of Billy the Kid started, I began putting my clothes away.

Once I'd unpacked my clothes, and Worse Comes to Worse and Stop in Nevada had played, I set the chess board on the coffee table, hoping my roommate would want to play, then hung the icons in my room. I surveyed everything, and I was satisfied, so I put the packing materials from the fridge, as well as the duffel bag and suit bag I'd had my clothes in, onto the cart and dialed 222. Once I was downstairs, I put the packing materials in the dumpster and my duffel bag and suit bag in the back of my Mustang. I'd kept two small gym bags to take clothes home when I went, but I'd leave the large duffel and suit bag at home when I went for Labor Day.

There was still time before lunch, so I walked to the Quick Mart, greeted Mr. Sokolov, and bought three cartons of pop, some Pop-Tarts, a few apples, a loaf of bread, some butter, and a block of cheese. I paid for my purchases, and after the clerk behind the counter, whose name tag read 'Nancy', packed them in heavy paper grocery bags, I managed to carry the heavy load back to the dorm. I put two bottles of RC, two bottles of Coke, and one Sprite in the fridge, then put the butter, cheese, and apples into the fridge and set the Pop-Tarts on the desk next to my calculator and portable typewriter.

It was time for lunch, so I walked across the campus to the deli where Becky and I had eaten. When I finished my lunch, I stopped in an appliance store and bought a fan, then headed back to the dorm. From there, I went to the campus bookstore to empty my wallet. I cringed at the prices of the Biology, Chemistry, and Calculus texts, and the prices for the lab workbooks weren't a whole lot better. Fortunately, my writing course only required a copy of The Elements of Style by Strunk & White, plus a book on technical writing. Together, those books cost less than half of what the individual Chemistry, Biology, and Calculus books had cost. Purchases in hand, I returned to the dorm, where I put the books on the shelf above the desk, to either side of the votive lamp and censer.

My parents had provided an AT&T calling card, which I used to call home to let Mom know I was all settled and everything was OK. She wished me well and told me she loved me, and when we hung up, I called the hospital in Columbus and asked for Jocelyn's room. They put me through, and her mom answered but quickly handed the phone to Jocelyn.

"Hi!" she said.

"How can you be so cheery?" I asked.

"Because you called! Ask Mom. I was just complaining and basically being a bitch. But this call totally brightened my day!"

"How are you?"

"I ache, but the pain drugs are pretty effective. I'm scheduled for my first physical torture session on Friday, but that just involves getting out of bed and then back in and some range of motion stuff. I will be SO happy when I can take a shower! That's on Sunday."

"If you need a sponge bath..." I laughed.

"Somehow, I don't think they'd approve of that! How are things in McKinley?"

"I'm all moved in and a lot poorer."

"Bought your books, did you?"

"Yeah. I can't believe how much they cost. But I'm all set for Monday."

"Did you meet your roomie?"

"Not until Saturday."

"OK. I'll see you Saturday afternoon, right?"

"Yep. I'll come back to the dorm after work to shower, then get on the road. I'll be there by 2:30pm, and I'll stay as long as you like."

"As long as they'll let you, you mean."

"Whatever you need."

"Do you have a number?"

"You have to call the dorm and ask for my room. Let me give you the number."

I gave her the number and my room number, then we said 'goodbye'. I hung up, grabbed a book, and headed out of the building to sit in a large grassy area and read. I had dinner at Frisch's, then went to Vespers at Saint Michael the Archangel Church.

When I arrived back at the dorm, I called Emmy to let her know I was safely moved in and that I would see her on Labor Day. When we finished the call, I went to the common room on the floor to check out what was available and found a reasonably nice TV, four couches, and a ping-pong table. I met a couple of guys from the Cleveland area, but I didn't get the 'potential friend' vibe from them, so I headed back to my room to read until bedtime.

August 27, 1981, McKinley, Ohio

On Thursday morning, I ate in the campus dining hall then began my exploration of the campus. I worked out the walking times from my dorm to each class, mentally added in time for the elevator, then scribbled down the times I'd need to leave in my pocket notebook. Once I'd finished, I checked out the library, walked from campus to the dojo and back, then from campus to the Quick Mart and back, and noted the times. Ultimately, the only regular driving I would need to do would be to church, which was about a ten-minute drive from the dorms.

I ate lunch at the deli again, then decided to explore McKinley. I found a bookstore, an arcade, and a bowling alley, all of which I'd make use of. I found several other diners and cafés, as well as the local McDonald's. I asked at the Shell station if there was an A&W close and learned it was about a ten-minute drive, the opposite direction from the church.

When I came back to campus, I headed for the dorm and pushed the button for the elevator that wasn't being used for moving in.

"Freshman?" a female voice asked.

I turned to see a girl about five inches shorter than me, with brown hair and brown eyes, wearing what appeared to be the unofficial uniform of the college — blue jeans and a T-shirt.

"Yes. You?"

"Yes. I'm Jody, from Akron."

"Mike, from West Monroe."

"Where's that?"

"It's a small town about forty-five minutes west of here."

"What's your major?" she asked.

"Pre-med. Yours?"

"The ever-popular 'undeclared'!"

The elevator opened, and we got in. I got in and pressed '6'.

"What floor?" I asked.

"Seven. You're on a co-ed floor?"

"Yes."

"My dad wanted me in the girls-only building. My mom is pretty cool, but my dad is really strict. Fortunately, the girls-only building was full by the time I put in my request. That means I get to be on an all-girls floor in this building, which is better. I hear next year, this entire building will be co-ed. They'll only have the single three-story building as girls-only. I guess that lets them have fewer 'guys-only' floors in the Markley dorm."

"Interesting. Will your dad want you to move?"

"Of course! But now that I know how it works, I'll just put my room selection in late!"

"Nice!" I chuckled. "Nothing like a bit of passive-aggressive behavior!"

"Come on! You never did stuff like that to get to do stuff?"

I shook my head, "I'm the proverbial nerdy, 'goody two-shoes'."

"EXACTLY the kind of guy my dad would like me to hang out with if he can't keep me away from guys completely."

"Implying you don't want to hang out with me?" I asked a bit apprehensively.

"Relax!" she laughed. "I'm not one of those kids who does the opposite of what their parents want just to be contrary!"

The elevator bell rang for the sixth floor, and the door opened.

"Nice to meet you," I said. "See you around?"

"Do you have plans for later?" Jody asked.

"No. Would you like to have dinner?"

"Sure! Meet downstairs at 5:30pm?"

"Sounds good."

I got off the elevator and walked down the hall to my room. I'd done enough walking that I decided to take a quick shower. I stripped off my clothes and put on my robe and shower shoes, grabbed a towel, and went down the hall to the communal shower. I quickly showered, dried off, put on my robe, and went back to my room to dress. I had about forty minutes before I was supposed to meet Jody, so I sat down on the couch with a book and read until it was time to head downstairs.

"Dining Hall or somewhere else?" I asked.

"Somewhere else. Our meal plans don't start until Monday, and I suspect we'll be tired of dining hall food in a few weeks."

"How about A&W. I have a car."

"Cool," Jody replied. "I don't, and neither does my roommate. She seems OK, but it's going to be strange living with someone. I'm SO glad they have separate bedrooms. Did you meet yours?"

"He doesn't arrive until Saturday. You're in a double, not a quad? Same as me?"

"Yeah. The extra money was worth it, though honestly, I checked one out, and it's not all that different, except having to share a slightly larger common room with three other girls instead of one."

"When I had my campus tour, the Junior who led it said they regretted building the other dorm with quads, which is why this one and the girls' dorm, which were built later, have only doubles. And the married dorm is more like studio apartments."

"I'd LOVE to have a small kitchen. We're not even allowed to have hotplates!"

"Fortunately, we are allowed to have electric tea kettles."

"You drink tea? I never really tried it."

"Since I was little. Is coffee your poison of choice?"

"Can't stand it!"

We walked to my car, and I let her in the passenger side, then got in the driver's side.

"Nice Mustang! You get an extra two points."

"I see," I grinned. "How many points do I have so far?"

"On my scale? Or my dad's?"

I chuckled, "I'm not sure I care about your dad's!"

"Two for the car, one for being a nice guy, one for being in shape. Dad would give you ten points for being pre-med."

I started the engine, backed out of the spot, and pulled out into the street.

"Let me guess," I said. "He wants you to marry a doctor or a lawyer?"

"Good guess. I honestly think he sent me here for my MRS degree."

"Your what?"

"Think about it. M-R-S? Missus. As in married."

I laughed, "Duh. Sorry, I never heard that. So he sent you here to prospect for a husband?"

"My boyfriend back home got a warehouse job right out of High School. My dad called it 'lack of ambition'."

"What does your dad do?"

"He's a captain in the Akron Fire Department. Mom stays home. What about your parents?"

"My dad works for Harding County. He's a supervisor in the property division, you know, the one that does inspections and issues permits. My mom is a secretary for a lawyer, but she stayed home until my little sister and I were in school."

"How old is your sister?"

"Fifteen. Do you have any siblings?"

"An older brother and a younger sister. He's twenty-two; she's sixteen. What kind of doctor do you want to be?"

"I want to work in an ER. A trauma doctor."

"I'd faint at the sight of blood!"

I pulled into the lot at A&W, and we got out of the car. We decided to eat outside, and after placing and receiving our orders, we took them to a bench on the side of the building. I silently said a blessing over the food, then dug into the burger and fries.

"What do you do in your spare time?" she asked.

"Read, play chess, practice karate. I was pretty involved in church back home."

"What church?"

"A Russian Orthodox church. Do you go to church?"

"I'm Catholic; we went to Mass every single Saturday night. I probably won't go here. It's just not really my thing. Is there a church close you can go to?"

"It's about a ten-minute drive north, just outside the city limits."

"Do you plan to keep going?"

"Yes, though I probably won't have time to be as involved as I was back home."

"Do you have a girlfriend back home?"

"My steady girlfriend and I broke up at the beginning of the Summer. Over the Summer, I dated a couple of girls, one pretty regularly. Are you and your boyfriend still together?"

"Nah, he's close to two hundred miles from here, and I don't have a car. He wasn't happy when I decided to come to school here and not in Cleveland. Even Pittsburgh would have been closer."

"So why Taft?"

"In-state tuition, and my dad likes the fact that McKinley only has about 35,000 people. You?"

"Close to home, in-state tuition, a small grant, and a decent medical school for a small-sized city. Obviously, I have to get in, but that's my plan."

"You WANTED to be close to home?"

"Did I just lose points?" I asked with a grin.

"You sure didn't gain any! If it weren't for the cost, I'd be in California or Florida."

"You don't like it in Ohio?"

"I just want to be away from home, and this really isn't far enough. And honestly, coming to a smaller town than Akron wasn't what I wanted."