Chapter 3

The biggest problem with summer is that it ends. School started. Classes and training cut into most of the time I had with Andrea. Her parents would not allow friends over on school nights. She went to a Catholic high school while I attended the large public one. So, we only got together on Fridays and Saturdays and only then when I didn't go to an away meet. Their momma decreed that Sunday was for church and family only.

Most evenings I continued working with Julia. But, in a twist life often throws us, she also became my teacher in English. That first school day I walked into the English class room and found a seat next to some friends. Julia walked in and announced that Mrs. Warren had decided to retire. Julia was our replacement English teacher. She was very formal and immediately began teaching. Ricky whispered a silly comment about our teacher being the hottest gal in the school, bar none. Julia then let him know how good her hearing was. He got detention and we got respect.

It felt really weird referring to her as Miss Johnson. She treated me as if I were a stranger, so I reciprocated. The first evening after class I didn't know what to expect. Walking up the hill to her house, I thought that I may lose my job and more importantly, my mentor. I didn't analyze why that made me so sad. She soon put me at ease.

"Uh, hi, Julia, I mean, Miss Johnson, I, ah,..."

She looked very seriously at me for a few seconds, and then smiled and said, "I've already spoken with my principal. He is fine with you working for me. If you are uncomfortable, I can have you transferred to another class and teacher. If you stay, during class I will treat you like any other student, only you had better get an 'A'. Both of us know what you can do, and if you don't, your parents will be the first to know!"

So, my friends just knew I was working restoring the old Johnson house for Julia but didn't know I was working closely with her. Ricky said that I was a lucky dog to have such a sexy boss.

Summer was gone and the weather soon changed. Fall had arrived and with it often drizzly rain. Andrea's family began a catering business. Sometimes the only way I could see her was by volunteering to act as a waiter, free of course. I did get some great meals out of it.

One Friday afternoon my sisters and I were at the 'As'. They were discussing colleges for the next year. Andrea had applied to St. Mary's College, like her brother. I just listened.

Now, I had just received what I considered a stupid letter telling me that I qualified for some scholarship but my parents made too much money. Why waste postage sending me a letter telling me that I couldn't have any money? I thought that it was funny so I shared it with the 'As'

They wanted to see it, so I went home, dug it out of the trash and brought it up to them. "This says that you are a National Scholarship Finalist. What did you get on the SAT?"

This was an area I tried to keep to myself. I knew that they were very proud of Andrea scoring a 1200. "I did pretty well. What's the big deal about that scholarship? I mean, I didn't get anything."

"What did you get on the SAT?" Now, I had read some Xerox and other sales training manuals one afternoon when I was stuck downtown waiting for my dad at a client's office. If someone asks the same question the same way, you'd better answer it.

"I got about 1500" Well, it was 1500 if you dropped off the other 90 points.

Andrea blanched then turned deep red, which was quite a trick considering her olive complexion and deep tan. I wasn't in competition with her. It was just that they thought they were smarter than anyone else, particularly me.

Anthony asked, "Have any colleges contacted you?"

"A few."

"Which ones?"

"Well, Stanford and a few others." I wasn't interested in any Ivy League school so why mention them? "I've already applied to Stanford and Berkeley, like my parents."

My sister had to blab about some other ones I'd received. "He also got a call from MIT and Yale. The Yale guy said that he would get a full scholarship if he committed early."

The room was quiet and everyone except Anna acted in a stilted manner. I really didn't want them to think that I was trying to show them up. I liked them. I will say that it shocked me to understand that they paid no attention to the fact that I was a SF Bay Area Science Fair winner last year and then got a 2nd at International.