Chapter 42: Dinner with Doctor Blahnik

January 21, 1983, McKinley, Ohio

I still hadn't decided on the answer to Clarissa's final question when Angie and I went to run on Friday morning. One thing I was reasonably sure of was that saying 'no' would likely be equivalent to saying, 'not yet'. Milena and her friends didn't seem likely to withdraw the offer anytime soon, though they would all complete their Master's or undergrad degrees in May.

But that wasn't the thing which was in the front of my mind. What was foremost was what Clarissa had said about Angie. I'd thought about it, and I knew it was most likely true. And Clarissa was also correct in that I was going to have a serious dilemma soon enough. But that was in the future, not now, and I needed to push it to the back of my mind and worry about now. So much could happen between now and then that worrying about it wouldn't help. After all, what had happened with Katy had blindsided me, as had what had happened with Jocelyn.

But there was another, more pressing issue than either of those which concerned me. And that was the talk I'd had with Clarissa about us. She'd called me her soulmate, and I honestly couldn't disagree with her. We'd already agreed to try to get into the same medical school, and to serve our Residency together, and, if possible, practice together. And that would have to be enough because no matter how close we were, she was eventually going to fall in love with a girl. I just hoped, for her sake, that Clarissa would find that girl and have the confidence to tell her how she felt.

"Ang, Doctor Blahnik invited me to dinner tonight," I said.

"Do you want to say our evening prayers before you go so you don't have to come back early?"

"I was actually thinking you might want to go with me. She said I could invite someone."

"You're sure it's OK?"

"Positive. I just need to let her know by lunchtime today. She also said I could crash there if I wanted to have a quiet night away from everything."

"Dinner would be OK," Angie replied.

"Cool. I'll let Doctor Blahnik know this morning."

And I'd get an earful at some point from Milena, but I could toy with her, which would actually be a lot of fun. And there was one OTHER consideration, and that was the fact that there was a very good chance Mindy would be with Emmy when she arrived on Saturday morning. That was another potential dilemma but one I'd deal with if it arose.

We ran, then went back for our showers and joined the rest of the gang for breakfast. After breakfast, I went to see Doctor Hart, though, after Tuesday, Clarissa had stopped coming with me because, ultimately, all she was doing was sitting in the waiting room twiddling her thumbs.

"You turned in your RA application yesterday, right?" Doctor Hart asked.

"Yes."

"Good. I'll hand in my recommendation today. I do need to warn you that Dean Parker is on the interview committee."

"Of COURSE she is," I groaned.

"Just keep your cool, Mike. She's one of five. I'm also one of the five."

"But you signed my recommendation form!"

"That's not a problem. We're allowed to do that. If it weren't the case, I'd have told you. I can guarantee that if Dean Parker tries to raise any issues against you in private, with the entire team or individuals, she'll have more trouble than she bargained for. I've already spoken to Chancellor Evans about it, and he's going to issue a written set of instructions, plus verbally inform her that any shenanigans will be dealt with swiftly.

"So what that means is you need to keep your cool and not let her bait you into saying something she can use against you. And it means keeping your nose clean. I realize you aren't wild or crazy, but no rules violations. None. Don't even push the edge of the envelope. Once the decision is made, THEN you can go back to nodding at the silly rules."

I chuckled, "I take it everyone knows about that."

"Of course!" Doctor Hart exclaimed. "Why do you think Dean Parker was so adamant to get a 'zero tolerance' policy in place. She basically wanted the RAs to be Gestapo."

"Wonderful."

"You missed some of the things she demanded in private — regular random searches for drugs and liquor, random bed checks, and so on."

"Uh, on that note. What about Sandy? She spends most nights with me."

"It's technically against the rules, but that one's never enforced unless someone complains. But there's your problem — you can bet someone in that dorm will rat you out, even if only to help their friend become RA."

"That's bullshit, and you know it!"

"I know. The rule is in the rulebook, so we can tell parents that little Suzy's virginity is safe. But think about how dumb that is, in the end."

"Sex in the afternoon and then sleep in separate beds."

"Exactly. And while it's true no men can be in the all-girls dorm, nothing stops the girls in the all-girls dorm from being in another dorm. But certain parents want the fiction."

"Dean Parker's life isn't worth a plugged nickel," I replied.

"Mike, don't make threats," Doctor Hart said firmly.

"That wasn't a threat; it was an observation. When I tell Sandy, she'll march over to the Dean's office and strangle her with her bare hands."

Doctor Hart laughed, "You seem to have a pretty high opinion of your skills."

"Sandy comes back every night, Doc. You figure it out."

He laughed, "Well, the interviews are February 15th through the 17th. The decisions will be made by February 28th. Can you manage to sleep alone for a month?"

"I think it's more of a question of whether Sandy can! But will it matter? Someone could say it happened in the past."

"That's unsubstantiated hearsay, and I'll intervene to say it's totally inappropriate to ask. The risk is someone going to Martin and complaining and having him come to your room and find Sandy there past curfew."

"Do you realize just how stupid this is?"

"Yes. As I said, it's all about a fiction for nervous parents of supposedly virginal daughters. But right now, it's an issue for you because Dean Parker will make it an issue. None of the others would, but they can't ignore a rules violation."

"What about after the RAs are selected?"

"You'll be fine at that point so long as you don't get kicked out of the dorm or violate the drug policy."

"Thank heavens for small favors. Has anything come of her Title IX idiocy?"

"So far, no, but she has a few supporters. She'll keep agitating and lobbying and trying to gain more converts."

"Wonderful."

"How are you doing today? I mean, besides being annoyed about the RA situation."

"Good. I had a very interesting talk with Clarissa yesterday. I have to share something for this to make sense, but it can never be repeated to anyone."

"Anything you tell me is completely confidential."

"Clarissa said she thinks I'm her soulmate."

"Given how close you've become, that's not a surprise. What's wrong with that?"

"She's a lesbian."

"Which makes it a moot point," Doctor Hart said.

"Yes. The weird thing is, I kind of feel the same way."

"You don't believe you can change her, do you?"

"No, of course not! That's stupid. I mean, seriously. I didn't wake up one day and decide to be straight. I just am. She's the same way, only lesbian."

"Good. Often, very religious people think it's something sinful which one can simply decide to change."

"I'm sure that Calvinist fool who wanders the campus thinks so, but my church doesn't teach that being a homosexual is sinful. Attraction, in and of itself, isn't sinful. What is sinful is acting on it outside of marriage. And yes, we limit marriage to one man and one woman, preferably for life. But Doc, you know damned well I'm a fornicator, to use the word the Church would use, so I'm in no position to judge someone else who has sex outside of marriage, gay or straight."

"That seems to fit with your usual non-judgmental style. I'm guessing that comes from your faith."

"I'm the biggest sinner there is," I said. "Nobody else compares."

"Oh, come on!" Doctor Hart laughed.

"Nobody else's sins are my business. So far as I know, every other person on the planet is sinless. On the other hand, MY sins are ever before me, to quote some of YOUR Scripture, which we borrowed."

"David's Psalm after his transgression with Bathsheba."

"Yes, of course. I'd say it applies. But that's neither here nor there. In one sense, I find it sad; in another sense, I totally understand knowing you have a soulmate and not being able to do a thing about it."

"You and Jocelyn?"

"Yes."

"But you agree with Clarissa."

I nodded, "So I'm confused. What else is new?"

Doctor Hart laughed, "I think we can safely go to once a week for our meetings. I'll see you on Tuesdays if that's OK."

"It is."

"You have my home number and my pager number. Use them if you need me."

"I will. Thanks."

We shook hands, and I left his office and headed back to Doctor Blahnik's office to let her know Angie and I would be coming to dinner, then went back to the dorm. Sandy was going to kill Dean Parker. But that wasn't the first issue I had to deal with. The first one was going to cause someone else to go ballistic.

"We have a problem," I said to Clark when I walked into our room. "A big one."

"What did you do now, White Boy?"

"Put in an RA application. Doctor Hart said I needed to follow all the rules. To the letter."

"So?"

"Sandy can't spend the night."

"Sucks for you. So?"

"Gee, thanks for your compassion!"

"If you have to give up your nookie for a couple of months, I don't see how that's an issue for me!"

"First of all, I can have sex with her; she just can't stay past curfew. And here's why you should care — one of the rules is no girls under eighteen are allowed in the dorm, let alone in our room."

"Motherfucker! That stupid Dean would screw you over because the Sweet Thing comes to visit?"

"In a heartbeat," I sighed.

"How do we get rid of that puritanical bitch?"

"I think you'll have to take a number and get in line behind Sandy. As for Emmy, if they do visit, you have to go somewhere besides here. She can't come upstairs. I'm going to call home tonight and let Liz know. She can tell Mindy, who can tell Emmy."

"Where the fuck am I supposed to go? Wait! Can Amy spend the night with me without messing things up?"

"Yes. They can't use that against me. Conveniently, the rulebook doesn't require me to snitch."

"How long will this go on?"

"Until the end of February when the appointments are made. After that, I'd have to get kicked out of school to lose the role. Or violate the drug policy."

"Well, shit."

"There's a motel just outside town to the east," I said.

"With hourly rates?" he laughed. "I'd worry they would turn me away because she's seventeen."

"I don't know what to say except that I'm sorry."

"Ah, fuck it. It's only a month."

"Thanks."

"You owe me, White Boy! You get the RA job, and I get a free pass on anything short of a felony!"

"I'll do my best to have lousy eyesight," I said. "Just don't be stupid."

"Me? The Cincy cops think I'm a fucking criminal mastermind!"

"Which shows just how stupid they are."

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment or an insult!"

"Take it however you like," I grinned. "Now, I have to break the news to Sandy."

"I'll be in the fallout shelter in the basement. Good luck."

I knew Sandy and Clarissa would be along shortly because it was almost time to leave for Genetics, so I got my books together and waited. A couple of minutes later, they showed up, and then we joined Jason, Pete, and Fran to head to class. I decided it was best to wait until after our Ecology and Evolution class that afternoon to talk to Sandy.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" she demanded angrily when I finally told her.

"No, unfortunately, I'm not."

"Why not talk to Melody and get that stupid rule, which nobody follows, changed?" Clarissa asked.

"Doctor Hart said it's there to reassure parents that their allegedly virginal daughter's virtue is safe."

Clarissa laughed, "What? Mine and maybe a few other girls on this entire floor?"

"Mine lasted the entire first year and part of the second," Sandy laughed.

"So Mike got yours?"

"Repeatedly! I mean, I had to be sure it was gone, right?!"

Both girls laughed.

"I did think of a couple of technicalities," I said. "First of all, there is no specific rule against sex, and second, while there's an 11:00pm curfew, the rulebook doesn't say when the curfew is over."

"Don't play games with it, Mike," Clarissa warned. "That's exactly the kind of thing Dean Parker would use against you."

"Some friend you are!" Sandy growled. "And we study until 11:00pm!"

"There's the time from breakfast to Genetics, most of Tuesday afternoon, Thursday morning, and part of the afternoon, Friday and Saturday evenings. It's a month."

"It's bullshit! That's what it is!"

"Yes, it is. Oh, and I told Clark he can't have Emmy in the room tomorrow!"

"I bet THAT went over well," Sandy said, shaking her head. "How do we get rid of this woman?"

"I don't think it's possible unless she breaks some kind of rule. You should ask Melody to raise the curfew issue, but I'm not sure the administration is going to go for removing it."

"We're over eighteen!" Sandy protested.

"Which means exactly nothing, unfortunately," Clarissa said. "Ask Melody. The school can impose rules so long as they don't violate the Constitution. And the rule against having someone of the opposite sex in your room overnight passes legal muster. As we talked about the other day, it's dumb because Robby and Lee share a room, but you and Mike can't. Everyone knows they're lovers, too. But the rules allow it. Heck, I spent the night with Mike, and we're not lovers, and that's STILL a violation of the rules."

"It was a prescription," I chuckled. "Doctor's orders."

"Cute, but I can't see Dean Parker agreeing that was the case, and Doctor Hart can't really admit that without getting in trouble."

"Probably not," I sighed. "Sandy, I'm really sorry. I can withdraw my application if you want."

"No, don't do that. Don't let her win. And once you're the RA on this floor, and Teri is the female RA, we'll be on the most libertine floor in the entire dorm!"

"Teri is that wild?" I asked.

"Officially? No, of course not! Unofficially? She's a party animal! But her boyfriend lives off-campus, so they do all their partying there."

"Ah, that explains why I haven't heard anything!"

"She has a group of friends like ours, but they hang out at Geoff's place. Is there an issue with us hanging out in your RA room?"

"Martin has friends there all the time," I said. "And when I read the rules, they didn't say anything about that. I just have to follow the same rules as everyone else."

"How many applicants are there?"

"When I turned mine in, it was the only one for this floor. My second and third choices were the sixth and fourth floors. I'll know in time for everyone to switch floors if need be. I'm supposed to know by the 28th. I have one sure vote for and one sure vote against. Doctor Hart and Dean Parker are on the interview team. They don't have the final say — that rests with the Chancellor, but he usually follows the recommendations of the interview committee."

"Dean Parker? Shit!"

"It's OK," I said. "Doctor Hart already talked to the Chancellor, and Doctor Blahnik is one of the most popular professors on campus. I just can't let Dean Parker bait me."

"She'll try," Clarissa said.

"Sure. And when I don't take the bait, she'll get frustrated and say something stupid. And then I'm in like Flynn."

"So, do you have a plan?" Sandy asked.

"Well, Angie and I are having dinner at Doctor Blahnik's tonight, but we should be back before 10:00pm. Meet me here?"

"Absolutely."

"Then you can come back in the morning after Angie and I pray, and then we can fool around for a few hours if you want."

"Duh!" Sandy laughed. "I LIKE our 'stress relief' sessions. But I also like sleeping with you."

"Me, too," Clarissa said, "Well, minus the not sleeping parts!"

Sandy laughed, "Having not done it for nineteen years and then having done it, I can safely say doing it is WAY better than not doing it!"

"For you," I said. "Clarissa is the only one who can decide when and with whom she wants to do it."

"So what's with going to Doctor Blahnik's?" Sandy asked.

"When I was there after my meltdown, she invited me to come for a home-cooked meal from time to time or to use their guest room if I just wanted to escape the madness."

"Nice deal! I take it you'll do that sometimes?"

"I think so, yes. When I'm RA, I'm allowed to be away occasionally. I just have to arrange for another male RA to cover for me, but I figure I'll find someone to trade with to make it easier."

"We should get going," Clarissa said.

We headed to our Ecology and Evolution class and, after that, to physics. After physics, we headed back to the dorm to hang out until everyone else in the gang left for dinner, leaving just Angie and me in my room. I took the opportunity to call home and talk to Liz.

"She's going to be SO pissed!"

"Who?" I laughed.

"Emmy, but probably Mindy, too! I can't call Emmy, so I'll have to call Mindy and have her call Emmy. What should she do?"

"My opinion? Don't come to McKinley. But if she does, they can't come upstairs under ANY circumstances. It could make a real mess of things. Make sure Mindy tells Emmy that this isn't me trying to play games, either. I put in my RA application, and I can't take any risks for the next month or so."

"Because they're not eighteen? The age of consent is sixteen!"

"Yeah, but the school rules say nobody under eighteen. Make sure they know."

"I will. How are things going?"

"Pretty good."

"What did Jocelyn send you?"

"Don't ask," I sighed.

"Are you OK?" Liz asked.

"Yes. My friends are taking good care of me. How about you?"

"School is school. It kind of drags, you know? I just wish I was eighteen already."