Chapter 42

She let it ring.

“Alice Lovisa Olsen ... if you don’t answer that ... I’m flying home alone!”

“Hello.”

“Yes mom.”

“Yes mom.”

“Yes mom.”

“Before school starts. Yes mom.” She offered me her phone. “She would like to speak to you.”

“Mrs. Olsen?”

“Yes Ma’am ... before school starts.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

“If you insist.”

I turned to the Dean, “The Olsens wish to open a bank account for Alice. Where?”

The Dean held out his hand. I placed Alice’s phone in it.

He held it to his ear ... for just a second ... and dropped it. I caught it. I am used to other peoples reaction when dealing with the Olsen money.

“Your parents will transfer a hefty sum after you open an account.” He gulped. “I personally use the university credit union ... let me make a call.”

On the desk phone, he dialed. “James ... Huey. I know you’re closed ... I need you to open for a student. Now.”

“You’ll regret it the rest of your life.”

He whispered into the phone.

“Yes.”

“On his way.” That was to Mrs. Olsen ... and Alice ... and me.

And of course I asked, “Where?”

“North on Speedway ... about two pitches.”

“The gym.”

“Walk, bike or run, Alice.”

“RUN!” And the wench was out the door.

It was interesting ... and kinda fun. We were at the Gym waay before the Dean and he was waay before James ... whoever James was.

Ah ... James was the manager.

Alice always has money ... maybe not BIG money ... but cash.

Alice gave James a Five.

James opened an account for Alice Lovisa Olsen. Alice called home with the information ... and KAZANGO. James peed his pants.

“Thank you, James. Thank you, Dean. Monday at the Testing Center 8 AM.”

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“To get our bikes and catch the bus back to Bud Field.”

“Nope ... You need ID ... go back to Admissions ... I’ll catch up. I need to speak to James.”

We ran ... again.

“Brigit ... we need ID’s. Can you...”

So ... we were photo-ed, printed and laminated before Huey ... the Dean ... arrived back at the office.

In fact ... we were out the door as he was walking up the ramp.

“Thank you, Dean. Brigit took care of us ... see you Monday.”

We collected our bikes, wheeled them to the south side of Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard and caught the third Number 18 bus. An 18 bus runs every 15 minutes. We had to wait for an empty bike rack. Our UT Student ID’s were accepted. We rode to the end of the line. Un-racked our bikes and peddled to Bud Field.

The concrete pad was being poured. I wrote Bud a check.

“Can you get us fuel?”

“Sure,” Bud said. He hauled out his cell.

“Twenty...”

“Well ... Alice ... what do you want to do until Monday?”