Chapter 5

The Tuscaloosa house felt a little strange without Ania and Angie. I went to sleep and woke very early. I thought I was ready to move on from Karen, but I was unsettled about how much I wanted to go out with coeds. I wasn't interested in repeating last winter's fiasco of trying to screw every coed on campus.

I ran and exercised for an hour and a half, but the physical exercise didn't clear my head. I had breakfast and went to the Deke house.

Not long after I got in from Deke, I received a call from Fred. He invited me to a cookout that he and Dorothy were having for coworkers and their spouses. The Professors in his department, the women who worked part time for Dorothy and the people from the real estate agency had been invited. I accepted and asked what I could bring. He said that they didn't need anything, but he accepted my offer to bring a couple of tubs of Cokes on ice.

I left messages for Peggy Williams at the Tri-delt house and Jeanette Elliot at the Kappa house. I hoped I was still in good stead with them. I wasn't sure since I hadn't contacted them over the summer. I looked forward to seeing them.

In the afternoon, Peggy returned my call. She gave me a hard time on the phone. "Long time since I've heard from you. You could have dropped me a line."

I was excited to hear her voice. "What can I say? I was in the City, going to Broadway shows, entertaining showgirls, and beautiful women in the Hamptons. If I had thought of you too much, they would have paled, and I wouldn't have had any companionship all summer."

Peggy laughed. "It's getting deep in here."

"How were Fort Valley and the peach crop?"

She continued in a light manner, "We had a good year. I avoided the Rackley brothers most of the summer, but those Auburn boys are persistent. In comparison to New York City, I'm sure I had a very tame summer."

"I'd love for you to come up some time. I'd be happy to show you around. It's a great city to visit. Speaking of visiting, when can we have supper at the Orchid Inn? Rush can't last forever."

"Sophomores do the heavy lifting during rush at Tri-delt. It's going to be hard for me to get away. Something about we're supposed to be closer in age and experience to the rushees."

"And you'll be in the house with them longer than the other current sisters too."

"So I've heard. You're not living at the Deke house are you?"

I laughed. "Not hardly. I'm all by my lonesome over here. Maybe you could come over and keep me company?"

"I doubt if you are lacking for company. I know about you. You have more girls than Carter has little liver pills."

"You wound me deeply. Not one girl has been over here since I got back."

"What one, maybe two whole days? You poor boy."

"I'm serious. I'd like to see you. Would you have supper with me this week?"

Peggy said, "I don't think I can get away until Friday. Rob, I'm not interested in being just another one of your girls."

"You're the first woman I called. Honest truth, and it's just supper for heaven's sake."

"Supper at the Orchid Inn isn't just supper."

"Okay, if you'd rather we could have ribs from Dreamland at my house, pizza somewhere awful or a hamburger in the car at Jack's."

"I'd love ribs. Every guy who wants to impress me takes me to the Orchid Inn." After a few seconds pause, "That didn't come out like I meant. We went to lunch at the Inn, and I know you go to the Inn often. It's not a big deal for you. I'm making this worse. Can I just say that I'd love ribs, fries, coleslaw, and iced tea?"

"What time Friday?"

Peggy said, "How about six?"

"See you Friday at six. I'll pick up the ribs on the way, and we can go to my house."

After I got back from a rush meeting, I called Jeanette. "How's my favorite Kappa?"

"Tired. Rush is a bitch. I hope we do well. I got your message, but didn't get a chance to call. Sorry."

"I'm sure you'll get a good pledge class. Are you interested in going out with me this year?"

She said, "Nothing like being direct. As long as we are being direct, are we talking about going out or slipping over to your house?"

"I was talking about going out: date night, parties, football games, maybe a concert."

"I'd like to go out with you, but I think we need to talk about expectations. You aren't talking about getting serious?"

"Can you come over, and we can talk about this face to face? Over the phone, it's too cold."

Jeanette laughed, "I think better with you over the phone than belly to belly in your bed. I have enough of a difficult time over the phone."

"When can you come over?"

Jeanette said, "We seem to have a lull everyday about four until after early supper."

"Do you want me to pick you up? We can have supper here."

"No, I'll come over as soon as I can. See you tomorrow."

I noticed that the DKE house was clearly less social without Beau, and I missed him not being around. I wasn't sure the level of involvement I wanted to have in the fraternity, but I knew I wasn't interested in being an officer or chairman of a major area.

At noon, I steamed chicken breasts. I sliced the steamed breasts into strips and prepared the ingredients for Caesar salad. At four, Jeanette came to the house. She came in through the breezeway.

"I believe you've gotten even prettier over the summer." We hugged. "How's your mom?"

"She's doing well. It seems someone gave the VFW money to put in central air conditioning and to replace old appliances in some houses. Thanks. We knew it was you. I talked to Shirley, and she told me we weren't the only ones. You made twelve families very happy. That made Shirley and me feel even better."

I handed her a glass of wine. "Are you ready for school?"

"The house treasurer said my house bill had been taken care of for the year."

"Let's not talk about that; I'd like to find out about you." I asked, "How was your summer?"

"I worked as an accounting intern at St. Joe. The new manager is really nice. You wouldn't believe how much better the plant is doing."

"How many hearts did you break?"

"I went out a few times with different guys, but nothing serious. I went out with a guy from Birmingham Southern a few times. Nice guy, but he isn't Deke material."

"There is something to be said for being just a nice guy. Is Caesar salad with chicken slices okay? Beau taught me how to fix Caesar salad this summer."

"Sounds wonderful"

I said, "You look great." I hugged her.

She pressed her body against me and leaned her head back. "I've always respected you for being truthful. I know you like me, but I don't think that you think I'm 'the one'."

I hugged her a little tighter. "I like you a lot. There's nothing not to like about you, but no, I don't think you're 'the one'. I don't know why that is, because I really do like everything about you."

"Fair enough. I'm glad you're honest. I love you and always will, but I understand about chemistry. Before we eat, can we," she paused, "do it?"

Softly I said, "We can go to the bedroom and make love. I'm not interested in doing it."

"You know, I've never been with anyone else?"

I did the best I could. She responded well. We were good, but not great. And we didn't have long to cuddle after we made love. While she cleaned up, I mixed the Caesar salad. We ate hurriedly.

Jeanette said, "This is fantastic."

"Beau's mother studied at the Cordon Bleu. She taught him to cook. I learned a few things from him this summer. Caesar salad is a Southern California concoction, but it's good if the dressing is homemade fresh."

She nodded. "Do you really want to go out? Who else are you dating?"

"Peggy Williams, a sophomore Tri-delt. I want to go out, have fun, but not monopolize anyone's time. I'd like to do more than hookup. I went out a lot this summer in the City to clubs, plays, concerts and out to the shore."

Jeanette asked, "I know Peggy. She's a beauty. I guess you're hooking up with her too?"

"I don't talk about those things, and I don't want you to ask again. I don't talk about you, and I don't require you to hookup for us to go out." I paused, "But no, we haven't and that's all I will say."

"Thanks for telling me and I appreciate it. You and Colonel had reputations for not bragging."

"It's more than not bragging; it's respect."

Jeanette said, "I wish I didn't have to get back for this rush thing. I could use some more of your respect." Jeanette flicked her tongue at me as she said it. It was very sexy.

"I see you've added a little sexy tongue action. It must have driven the Birmingham Southern kid crazy."

Jeanette drawled, "Who me? I'd never do a thing like that." She laughed. "Did it work?"

"Damn straight. I want you to think about how much we can see each other and what we can do to have fun this year."

I drove her back to the sorority house.

Thursday evening, I went to Dorothy's. For Dorothy's cookout, I dressed Brooks Brothers, not college. I wore a Brooks Brothers Egyptian cotton shirt, summer weight wool pants, soft leather Italian slip-on shoes, and an alligator belt. My school 'uniform' was a Gant shirt, polished cotton pants, and Weejuns. Dorothy's house and grounds looked very nice and Fred was justifiably proud to show it off.

Dorothy clearly outclassed any of the other women there. I spoke briefly with Dorothy and then worked the crowd. I introduced myself as someone who worked with Dorothy. I looked like money and got a few looks from women, but it wasn't exactly a Hamptons crowd. I didn't find any of the guests interesting. I slipped off and visited with Freddie and the sitter for a short time. I came back and joined Fred and the engineering professors. Then I circulated among Dorothy's real estate colleagues. I briefly said hello to Dorothy's staff, who were the only ones who knew who I really was. I waited for two couples to leave before I thanked Dorothy for inviting me and left. The party had been painful, but I had put in the appearance for Dorothy's sake. I didn't sleep well the night of the party.

I was determined to run and exercise. I ran early Friday morning and signed up for martial arts training, then I went to preferentials at the house.

I ate lunch at the fraternity house with what was going to be our new pledge class. When I got home, I filled the sun tea brewing jar and put it on the patio. I called Grandfather, Dorothy, Carolyn and finally Brooke. By the time I finished, it was time to get the ribs and pick up Peggy. I looked forward to having Peggy over.

I got everything Peggy asked for. At a deli, I got fresh made coleslaw, key lime pie, and garlic bread. After I picked up the ribs at Dreamland, I stopped at McDonalds for six bags of fries. I didn't have to wait for Peggy.

When Peggy got in the car she commented on how delicious everything smelled. We went to my house and straight to the patio. Covered plates, wet hand towels and a cooler of ice were already on the patio table. It was an unusually cool day, and the patio temperature was very pleasant.

Peggy said, "Nice house. Sun brewed tea; I'm impressed. This looks really good."

While she unwrapped the tinfoil from two racks of ribs, I put out some of the fries and put the remainder of the fries under a clear Pyrex pie plate. The plate was inverted over a plate and used sunlight to keep the fries warm. The key lime pie went into the cooler.

Peggy said, "Eating ribs isn't very lady like, but it's good eating."

"Dreamland's ribs are really good. Thornton Canter says Ollie's in Birmingham are better, but I don't know. I love Ollie's sandwiches, but these are awfully good ribs."

Peggy said, "I don't know Thornton."

"He was my company commander in Vietnam. He's a Deke from here, was the captain of the football team four years ago. He graduated from law school last year, lives in Mountain Brook and is as fine a man as you'll ever meet. He's married to his high school sweetheart and works with my family. He's the reason I came to Alabama."

Peggy said, "My dad is an Auburn Alum. He wanted me to go to Auburn, or at least to Georgia, but I wanted to come here. Mom was a Phi Mu at Auburn. My older sister went to Georgia and was Tri-delt there. I got a legacy bid."

Karen Kell was a Phi Mu at Auburn, but I didn't mention her. After we ate, I cleaned the patio while Peggy freshened up. We went into the family room.

Peggy said, "I must be nice to have a place like this. Is anyone going to live with you here?"

"Just me. You want to move in?"

She smiled and shook her head.

I showed her the house. She really liked the den/study room with the large desk, IBM typewriter, and leather chairs. After the tour, we went back to the family room and sat on the couch.

I asked, "Are you interested in going out regularly with me?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"Weekend dances, date night, football games, concerts, and that kind of thing."

Peggy said, "I'm not ready to get serious, but I'd like to go out some. I think we could have a good time."

"I know you are very popular. I'd like to go out with you and a Kappa, Jeanette Elliot from Demopolis. Maybe we could go to New Orleans or the Gulf some weekend, or to an away football game sometime?"

"I'm not ready to spend a weekend alone with you. I'm an old fashioned, small town girl."

"Maybe we could go with another couple; a friend of yours who'd like to go, but not stay with the guy?"

"I could do that; in fact, that sounds like a lot of fun. Same thing with the Legion Field games?"

"I bought two tickets for the home and away games. I have an airplane; we could fly back after an away game, if you felt uncomfortable. I like to go out frequently, but not monopolize your time. Maybe, go out every other weekend."

"I'm willing; no, I'd like to give it a try. If it doesn't work, no hard feelings? I'm sure there are a lot of girls, who would hookup anytime you want? You understand that I'm not one of them. I'm not real sure about this alternating week, alternating girl thing either."

"Like you said, I think we can have a good time. Next weekend, would you like to go to the dance at the House Friday night and the game Saturday night? We have a pledge swap with Kappa, and I'll take Jeanette to the first date night. The following week, we have a swap with Tri-delt, and we could go to the swap and to date night. I wouldn't tie up all your weekends. How do you feel about study dates?"

Peggy asked, "Would we study?"

"I'm very serious about my grades. I plan to go to law school."

"I seem to recall that you made the Dean's List both semesters last year didn't you?"

I nodded. I had a perfect A average at the University.

Peggy said, "I've never been in an airplane."

"If we hurry, we can make the sunset. With the high cloud cover this evening, it should be pretty."

I called and had my plane taken to the tarmac.

We drove to the airfield, and she walked with me as I inspected the plane. Then we went through the preflight routine together, and she listened as I got permission to take off.

We flew northeast over Birmingham and turned southwest so she had the best view of the sun in the clouds at sunset. She said, "It's beautiful up here. I can tell this is a nice plane and can understand why you like flying."

"I love flying and my plane. She is a quiet plane. This summer I did some parachuting. It was okay, but what I'd really like to try is gliding. Soaring and gliding without the noise of an engine are supposed to be really unbelievable, almost like being a bird."