Chapter 16: Social Studies

Liam

MEREDITH PICKED ME UP Friday and we had a nice dinner while we caught up on what was happening at school and in our lives. It turns out she’s been very busy.

“So, we have an appointment tomorrow morning to meet the architects at the condo to go over the plans.”

“We do?”

“Well, I do. You don’t need to come if you’re not interested.”

“No. I mean, yes. I’m very interested. I just didn’t know. It’s difficult not having you nearby. Thank you for including me,” I stumbled. I’d been thinking entirely too much about the college party we were attending Saturday evening to even recognize that it is only part of the weekend.

“I thought you would like to take the opportunity for a little tour of the University campus. Perhaps we could pick out a couple of items at the campus store to expand your wardrobe and then go to the football game,” she said.

“Football?”

“When the game ends, we’ll have time to get a little dinner and then go to the party. Of course, if you have too much school work to do...”

“No. Not at all. Well, I have reading to do. Frau Dr. Meier assigned Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. I’m to discover, by reading the book, why she assigned it to us. I think it’s more than just because it is a classic treatise on Buddhism and enlightenment written in German. I can only read a few pages at a time before I need to put it aside and just think about it.”

“I have read about the book, but I haven’t read it.”

“If I become enlightened, I’ll share.”

We retired for the night and I left her with a soft touch of my lips on her fingers.

“This is great!” I said. There was no other word I could think of. The furnishings in the apartment were rather old fashioned. The walls were papered in a floral print. It had a hominess about it that was very comfortable but I hoped I would be able to update it a bit.

“You are not stuck with the décor,” Meredith laughed. “This is Mr. Singleton, the architect who has drawn up plans on renovating for you.”

“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Singleton. I’m eager to learn what you have planned.”

“Based on your assistant’s description, we have a simple but elegant plan in mind. If you would imagine French doors here in the dining room, on the other side you would find a lovely study, done in a true gentleman’s style with wainscoting and rich wooden bookshelves. Imagine your desk, your reading chair, and soft light. That part of the renovation and remodel is the most structurally significant. However, we plan to remove this small vestibule, leaving only a coat closet at the door. The remaining space will be used for the updated kitchen. I understand that not only are you a fine cook yourself, but that occasionally you will have a guest chef for special occasions. The kitchen will have more room for professional quality appliances. The other rooms will remain unchanged in layout but we are making several decorating thoughts available to you, depending on your personal taste.”

“I can see it in my mind’s eye,” I answered. “Do you suppose we could make the look a little more modern? I don’t mind a tasteful antique as a focal point but the amount and age of the furnishings in this room are overwhelming.”

“I believe that would be an excellent choice and will have our artist draw up a couple of concepts for you,” Mr. Singleton said.

“Some of the discarded antiques would work fine in the adjoining apartment,” Meredith said. “I’ll be happy to select the items and have them moved with your approval, Liam.”

“I trust your guidance on that,” I said. We walked out the door of the condominium and in a step were at the door of the second unit. The floorplan was a mirror of the first apartment but this unit would be vastly reduced in space with the loss of the dining room in order to accommodate my study. Meredith planned to leave the remaining space open other than the bedroom, removing the vestibule but not expanding her kitchen. “Will you be all right with the loss of so much space?” I asked.

“Oh, yes. It will be quite lovely. I plan to use the space as an open living/dining/office area. I’ll simply use the furniture to define the areas. I am far less likely to be entertaining in my apartment than you are. I’ll have a cozy conversation area with a low table for informal dining.”

“If you are happy with it, I am happy,” I said. “But don’t spare an expense or make do with something that doesn’t please you.”

“Over here is the Student Union,” Meredith said as she guided me across campus. Her dormitory had been a rather depressing building and the room she described sounded claustrophobic. I was glad she would soon be able to move to her apartment. “The Union has all the services we need. We eat in a common cafeteria, there is a coffee shop, a bookstore, and what we call the commissary. It’s really just an extension of the bookstore that sells clothing, supplies, and even snack foods and refrigerated drinks. This is the building in which the bursar receives tuition and the housing authority assigns rooms. Essentially, it is the hub of college life. Let’s get you a University sweatshirt. It might be a bit chilly in the stadium. It looks like it could rain.”

Meredith led me into the commissary and we went down racks of clothes to find a sweatshirt in the school’s brown and gold colors. I was surprised at how comfortable and warm it felt and wished Elenchus had adopted this mode of clothing instead of the navy blazer boys wore to class every day. She also chose brown wool knit hats we could pull over our ears.

“I’ll like dressing like this every day,” I said

“Oh, no. Not every day. While the atmosphere is more casual here, there’s still a lot of pressure to meet a certain standard. Since there are always guests on campus who are looking for potential employment candidates, you’ll find most students keep as high a standard of dress as they can reasonably afford so they won’t be passed over at first glance.”

“Is our society really so shallow that we judge people by their clothes?”

“You need only think about that for the answer to become clear.”

We ate in the cafeteria and joined the throng going into the stadium for the one o’clock football game.

I’d been cool to the idea of going to a football game. I didn’t think much of school sporting events and did not intend to compete, even though I loved running. The college game, however, carried its own excitement and I found myself cheering as loudly as the others in the stadium and sharing their disappointment at the close defeat of the home team. Meredith also carried a warming blanket, which she tossed across both our laps. It was a bit early in the season for a blanket on this October day, but she held my hand discreetly beneath the lap blanket.

My parents, of course, wanted to inspect ‘the new property,’ as they called our apartments. We had picked up the keys from the management company when we met the architect and led them through the plans. Mother sniffed at the décor, but was pleased that we planned something more modern after the refit. I saw Father looking carefully at the plans, spread out on the dining table. That was one piece of furniture I thought I would keep. He made a mark on the plans and called us to look at it.

“You need a door. I’m sure you have discovered the door between your studies at Buxton House. You need the same access here,” he said. I agreed but was not sure of his reasoning. “You and Meredith will have an increasing amount of collaborative work. You need to be able to interact freely without drawing the attention of your neighbors by going back and forth through the hall. I’m sure that is what led to the speculation about the former owners. You will be the youngest residents in this building. It wouldn’t be wise to be on the gossipmongers’ lips.”

“I see,” I said. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

“I actually marked the same thing on the architect’s set of plans,” Meredith said. “The way the doors are constructed at Buxton House, they ensure privacy when desired and access when needed.”

“Well done, Meredith,” Mother said. “I am happy that you were the first to join Liam’s staff. It has been a long time coming. You’ll need to consider hiring a valet for him when he moves to the college. This can be one of your early assignments.”

“Certainly, ma’am.”

We left the condos and my parents’ driver took the four of us to a lovely restaurant for dinner. I was a little disconcerted at the idea of Meredith needing to ride in the front with David. I was sure there was plenty of room for four of us in the back seat. But that also reminded me of something Mother had said, so I brought the subject up as we were served.

“Mother, why would I need a new valet? What is wrong with Erich?”

“Oh, son. Do you have any idea how old Erich is?” Father asked. “He’s seventy, if a day. He was your grandmother’s tutor, my valet, and then your valet. While you were away at Elenchus this fall, he has semi-retired.”

“He won’t be terminated, will he?”

“Heavens no! Erich has a place with us at Buxton House for as long as he lives. I daresay your grandmother will keep him active when he isn’t busy around the house. She always has.” I was certain Mother winked at me.

“Now Meredith, I reviewed the work you did on the Lincoln Arms report,” Father said. “A job that showed your worth immediately. You’ve been with us nearly four months now. What are your impressions?” Father liked to review things and usually had good questions.

“Liam is an easy person to assist and mentor. He takes suggestion well and learns rapidly. I enjoy being with him. I still find Buxton House a bit overwhelming, but have only recently had quarters there. We aren’t there that frequently. I’m sure I will adjust. Please tell me more about the staff you expect him to need in the new residence.”

“A valet, certainly. Someone nearby but not live-in. A young man needs privacy for his own affairs.” My parents both laughed. “It would be good to have a housekeeper. Someone who could cook at least a few times a week and keep the apartments clean and tidy. Both positions could be part time at present with the possibility of full-time employment at a future date. I wouldn’t rush to fill the roles. It is quite possible you might discover candidates at the University. You needn’t limit yourself to established professionals in the area.”

“I think that with a capable housekeeper, I could probably manage without a valet for a while. I have my driver’s license now and Meredith has a car. Perhaps I’ll want one of my own in the spring,” I said.

“Young men and their cars,” Mother laughed. “Remember that neither Dennis nor Erich are simply drivers. As you become better known you may need security. I’m sure nothing is required yet, but keep it in mind.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

All told, it wasn’t an unpleasant evening with my parents. Dinner concluded with a nice apple crisp and coffee. My parents had Dennis drive Meredith and me to our dormitories to change while they enjoyed an after-dinner drink. I changed quickly and he dropped me at Meredith’s dormitory so we could walk to the party together.

We were greeted at the Gamma Delta Epsilon sorority house by our hostess, Miss Carolyn Dubois. Indeed, everyone we met was very sociable. The women all wore party dresses and the men were in sport coats. I’d chosen my gray blazer for the evening. I figured this was not the time to make a statement with either my tweed or a brightly colored shirt. I might have been the most conservatively dressed man at the party.

“Miss Sauvage, I’m so glad you accepted our invitation. Mr. Cyning, on behalf of the Greek Council, let me welcome you both to Robert Livingston University.”

“Thank you, Miss Dubois,” I said as I took her offered hand. “I am looking forward to great things here.”

“While I am already resident, Mr. Cyning will not begin classes until midterm,” Meredith added. “We’re so happy to have the opportunity to meet people and make friends before we’re caught up in the pressures of academia.”