Chapter 4: Kathleen

Bob Lacy was walking into the locker room for a home basketball game and wondered were the time had gone. He was now into his junior year and it seemed like it was only yesterday when he first laced up his shoes. You blink your eyes and the time flies on by. Too bad you can't go back in time, as he would have liked to start college over again as a freshman. Life has been good to him and college life was a great experience.

On the basketball team Bob had some success moving up to ninth man on a team that was scheduled to play its next game after tonight was in Madison Square Garden. The team's current record was nine wins and one loss. They were going to be playing a perennial eastern basketball power in Madison Square Garden who was currently ranked seventh in the nation. Bob's team was rated sixteenth in the nation. It had all the earmarks of being a good game and the newspapers were promoting the match-up.

There had been a total of seven freshmen that had come in on athletic tuition grants the year that Bob entered the university. Bob was one of the two juniors who still remained in school. The other five players couldn't handle the schoolwork even though tutors and other assistance had been offered.

In school Bob was doing good with a three point five grade point average on a four point system. He had declared himself a political science major and was seriously considering applying to Law School. He did have a two year hitch in the US Army after graduation courtesy of the campus advanced ROTC program. Bob had concluded if you were entering the service you would be better off if you went in as an officer rather than an enlisted man. He would be given his choice of two years or six months active duty. After thinking long and hard about his options he had decided when the time came he would opt for the two years which could improve his chances of securing a good duty assignment. If he was fortunate his assignment would enable him to see some of the world. The fifty dollars monthly allowance he was receiving while in school because he was in advanced ROTC helped him with his daily expenses.

Unless the basketball game tonight was a blowout, Bob didn't see himself getting any game time. The coach in spite of what he said in the pre-season press releases usually limited himself to playing the best six players on the team. Bob understood and accepted this which was fine with him. He had no delusions that he would ever become a starter on the team and for sure never an NBA player. He played basketball because he wanted an excellent education and he was receiving it at this prestige university.

The game tonight was against a team who was looking to upset Bob's team. The coach had said the game would be a dogfight. The coach always said before a game that it was going to be a dogfight but this time he was right as it was a close game. Bob's team pulled away in the last minute to win 74-69. The coach was happy and kept his post-game meeting to five minutes. The university was between semesters due to the holidays and the coach outlined the practice schedule for next week. He said the team would be leaving for New York on Friday at noon. The team was scheduled to play a Saturday afternoon game that was going to be nationally televised. The team would be in New York Friday and Saturday night and would be catching a noon commercial flight to come home on Sunday. Bob thought that two nights in the "Big Apple" was great as he had never been in this city before.

On the flight Friday, Bob thought it was nice to fly to New York instead of taking the team bus which the team did when the opponents weren't that far away. Taxis deposited the team at the Manhattan Hotel which was one city block away from the Garden. There was an eleven o'clock curfew but Bob and Jerry, a teammate, were able to see some of the famous areas as Times Square and Rockefeller Center before the curfew.

The game Saturday was good and close. While they didn't embarrass the University by losing big, Bob's team didn't win the game. The game went into over-time and they wound up being on the short end of an 81 to 79 score. The coach gave each player twenty dollar meal money and told them to be in the lobby Sunday morning at nine for the trip back.

As Bob and Jerry were going back to their rooms they noticed two good looking college age girls on the elevator. Jerry, who was never known to be shy, started talking to the girls and learned that they along with two other co-eds had come to New York from Baltimore to do some last minute Christmas shopping. They invited Bob and Jerry to come up to their room for a drink in about one half hour when the two other girls were due to be back.

Ben and Danny were available and interested in meeting these girls. All four of the players went up to the girls' room. The girls where there and introductions were made. There was something about eastern girls thought Bob. They aren't any prettier than the girls in other parts of the country, but they are always the best groomed and dressed.

The girls offered a mixed drink but Bob and the others passed on it. The players were in training and the season wasn't over yet. The girls hadn't seen the game so they were interested in what happened during the game. Jerry was a good storyteller and he relayed the highlights of the game for them. All of the girls seemed nice and appeared interested in Jerry's re-cap of the game.

It was now past dinner time and Bob's stomach was starting to growl. The group was talking about going out to some club in upper Manhattan which was a college type hangout.

Bob wasn't interested and said, "You guys go ahead. I'm going to get something to eat an either catch a movie, go for a walk or watch TV.

One of the girls, Kathleen or Kathy as she was called said, "That sounds good to me, can I keep you company?"

Bob said, "Sure, the pleasure will be all mine."

She smiled at his remark which she construed to be a compliment. Bob meant it to be.

They left and found a little restaurant around the corner that looked like it catered to a lunch trade but since it now was pass dinner time the restaurant wasn't crowded. They both ordered a large burger and fries. Bob asked Kathy a lot of questions about herself which had her doing most of the talking.

Bob looked at her and thought she was what he thought was a typical eastern college girl. About 5'5" tall with healthy straight light brown hair down to just passed her shoulders. Her figure was slim and her breasts were ample, probably 34B's. Facially she was very easy on the eyes. While she was talking, Bob sensed that something was wrong in that she was being bothered by something.

Bob said, "Kathy I don't want to appear to be nosey, but I sense that something is bothering you. If I can do anything or if you want to talk about something in particular I am a pretty good listener. If you don't want to say anything, that's okay too. You are much too pretty of a girl to have something bothering you."

She looked at him, then looked down, and then back up at him. He thought she was trying to think of what to say.

Apparently she did and said, "Do you really think I am pretty? It's nice of you to say that. Since you asked... , my problem is boys or I guess men. When I get around them, I get nervous and flustered. I don't know what to say. Because of my quietness, people say I am cold or frigid. I have heard people refer to me as an ice queen or bitch behind my back. I am not a bitch, I just don't know what to do or say."

Bob said, "Well, you don't seem to be having that problem with me so I don't see where there is a problem."

She said, "You are different."

Bob said, "No, I am not. I think some of your problem is that you sell yourself short. What do you see when you look in a mirror? Do you see the beautiful girl I see or are you overly critical of what you see? After talking with you for a while, I have learned that you are also an intelligent young lady besides being good looking. Do you look for reasons not to see what you are? I'll bet you have guys asking you out, and why do you think they are asking you? I'll tell you why, it's not because you are ugly. Guys normally don't ask out what to them are unattractive girls. It has to do with our male egos and our being attracted to beautiful girls. We want to be seen with beautiful girls and I will say Kathy you are one beautiful girl."

She was smiling and at the same time blushing.

"When someone asks you out, think of the reason he is asking you out. It's because he thinks you are good looking, attractive and somebody he wants to be with. It's not because of your grade point average. You say you are at a loss as to what to talk about so ask him questions about himself. Guys just want to talk about themselves anyway, especially if there is a pretty girl who appears she wants to listen to what he has to say. I know that a girl looking at me with her limpid blue eyes just like you are doing now is a major turn on. It really stokes the male ego. Look at what you have done now, you have got me rambling on."

Kathy chuckled and said, "Thanks, I'll try and remember that, and you for saying it. Are all the guys in the Midwest as nice as you?"