the best. By now I’ve managed to garner their respect—the majority of them anyway, and fortunately without ever exposing my age. I’m sure some of them in here are the same age as me; others I could be an older sister to by just a couple of years—and hearing from fellow graduate students, there gets to be a bit of animosity between people if they find out. But days like today, when they’ve gained enough knowledge and have lasted this far, it’s kind of like a reward they’ve earned—to get to actually perform some physical aspect of biology. The mood just changes. It’s on these days that I get the most thank yous as they leave.
I position myself a little more comfortably, watching and waiting for anyone needing my help, and as I do, I notice the small gift out of the corner of my eye that I sat down as I walked inside, with its plastic bag still taped to the top, and smile to myself.
dane
I decide to grab some lunch at the student union since I have only an hour before my last class; the walk home and back would take up most of that just navigating through all of the people crowding the campus.
I get in line and take a tray from the stack and put it on the three metal bars that run the length of the food display, picking up some shepherd’s pie, a salad, and two milk cartons—grabbing a fork and some napkins as I finish up.
I pay for my food and spot a table near the window.
I take a bite, not even tasting it, just lost in thought— that I was so damn glad she was there . Was it really a coincidence? I mean, girls know all kinds of tactics—many of them obvious as hell. But if she was curious, she was almost as nervous today as she was yesterday. I smile poking around at my next bite, thinking if she had wanted to show up to look for me, I must have really gotten into her head because this girl was anything but forward. . . Shay.
I peal apart the seal on the milk carton, pulling the flap out and pinching it to a point, drinking all of it at one time, when I hear my name from across the cafeteria by the registers.
Vince makes his way over and pulls up a chair opposite me. I can’t shake him, but the company’s alright for lunch anyway.
“Hey,” I say.
He starts right in. Always angling, for some gain he’s in pursuit of. “You know Gretchen? Well, she’s got a friend who wants to meet you.”
I’m sure she does. Here we go. I nod, acknowledging I’m listening to him as I eat my salad, and let him finish.
He leans in, “Yeah, well, I hear from some of the other guys on the baseball team that she’ll make your eyes roll into the back of your head. . . and if I weren’t hooking up with Gretchen, I’d have a go at her myself.”
He’s a class act . I look down at the rest of my salad—that somehow looks less appetizing with each word out of his mouth. I’m absolutely glad that my sister’s never encountered him. First glance, I’d probably knock the shit out of him—never having thrown a punch in my life.
“Think about it—it’ll get me some points, maybe with both of them.”
I move my eyes up from my tray to look at him—I’m sure if someone did a CT scan, his brain would be in the shape of a dick. “Yeah, I’ve already thought about it. No thanks.”
He shakes his head, like I just passed up the last chance of ever knowing carnal pleasure . “I just don’t get you man. You never bring anyone home—you’ve got to be getting backed up.”
I’m done .
These girls actually get into bed with him—I can’t even finish my lunch near the guy. “Listen Vince, I’ve got class in a couple of minutes—see ya back at the building.”
12
shay
“I could eat a horse!” Jenny pulls open the door to Mama Gia’s. A small rope of bells jingles against the glass. I follow close behind listening to her speak in Italian to the greeter at the front podium. Who laughs and motions a waiter, and leads us to a table in the center of the room. This
I position myself a little more comfortably, watching and waiting for anyone needing my help, and as I do, I notice the small gift out of the corner of my eye that I sat down as I walked inside, with its plastic bag still taped to the top, and smile to myself.
dane
I decide to grab some lunch at the student union since I have only an hour before my last class; the walk home and back would take up most of that just navigating through all of the people crowding the campus.
I get in line and take a tray from the stack and put it on the three metal bars that run the length of the food display, picking up some shepherd’s pie, a salad, and two milk cartons—grabbing a fork and some napkins as I finish up.
I pay for my food and spot a table near the window.
I take a bite, not even tasting it, just lost in thought— that I was so damn glad she was there . Was it really a coincidence? I mean, girls know all kinds of tactics—many of them obvious as hell. But if she was curious, she was almost as nervous today as she was yesterday. I smile poking around at my next bite, thinking if she had wanted to show up to look for me, I must have really gotten into her head because this girl was anything but forward. . . Shay.
I peal apart the seal on the milk carton, pulling the flap out and pinching it to a point, drinking all of it at one time, when I hear my name from across the cafeteria by the registers.
Vince makes his way over and pulls up a chair opposite me. I can’t shake him, but the company’s alright for lunch anyway.
“Hey,” I say.
He starts right in. Always angling, for some gain he’s in pursuit of. “You know Gretchen? Well, she’s got a friend who wants to meet you.”
I’m sure she does. Here we go. I nod, acknowledging I’m listening to him as I eat my salad, and let him finish.
He leans in, “Yeah, well, I hear from some of the other guys on the baseball team that she’ll make your eyes roll into the back of your head. . . and if I weren’t hooking up with Gretchen, I’d have a go at her myself.”
He’s a class act . I look down at the rest of my salad—that somehow looks less appetizing with each word out of his mouth. I’m absolutely glad that my sister’s never encountered him. First glance, I’d probably knock the shit out of him—never having thrown a punch in my life.
“Think about it—it’ll get me some points, maybe with both of them.”
I move my eyes up from my tray to look at him—I’m sure if someone did a CT scan, his brain would be in the shape of a dick. “Yeah, I’ve already thought about it. No thanks.”
He shakes his head, like I just passed up the last chance of ever knowing carnal pleasure . “I just don’t get you man. You never bring anyone home—you’ve got to be getting backed up.”
I’m done .
These girls actually get into bed with him—I can’t even finish my lunch near the guy. “Listen Vince, I’ve got class in a couple of minutes—see ya back at the building.”
12
shay
“I could eat a horse!” Jenny pulls open the door to Mama Gia’s. A small rope of bells jingles against the glass. I follow close behind listening to her speak in Italian to the greeter at the front podium. Who laughs and motions a waiter, and leads us to a table in the center of the room. This
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