Paying for College - The Novel

by Kenneth Szulczyk

  Chapter 9

  Phaedra invited me to the honors banquet for the top business students. Brothers, I’m not even there for five minutes, and I rammed against a nerd blockade at the door.

  A nerd stood in front of the door to the dining hall. “Only top students of the university can enter here. I don’t think you’re a top student.”

  “How do you know. You don’t even know me. I was given the invitation today.”

  “What’s your name?”

  “Jax Gamble.”

  Another nerd sitting behind a table leafed through a list of names with his index finger. “I don’t see his name here.”

  “How can that be?”

  “Do you have an invitation?”

  “Of course.” I reached into my front jean’s pocket and pulled out a fancy vanilla envelope that I had folded several times. I unfolded the envelope and pulled out the invitation and handed it to the nerd standing in front of the door.

  The guy examined the invitation. Then he held it up to the light. “It’s looks genuine.”

  “What do you mean genuine? Of course it’s genuine.” I crossed my two fingers, “The dean and I are close, real close.”

  The nerd passed it to his twin, who examined it carefully. “It looks real. Perhaps we should ask the Dean.”

  I said, “Go ahead. He’s the one who handed it to me this afternoon.” I pointed to the Dean’s signature, “He even signed it.”

  The nerd blocking the dining hall door shrugged his shoulders and gasped. Then he stepped away from the door to let me pass.

  “Thanks guys.”

  I slipped the invitation into its envelope, folded it again along the original crease lines, and slipped it into my pocket.

  Brothers, I entered through the dining hall doors wearing my finest threads – a maroon long-sleeve dress shirt and dark blue dress pants. They looked new because I rarely wore them as they spent most of their life hanging in the closet. When I was ready to wear them, I would just throw them into a dryer for five minutes with a bounce sheet or hang them out the window on their hangers for a couple hours in the spring air.

  Of course, the faded blue sneakers matched my superb garb quite well.

  As I walked through the door, the Dean glanced in my direction. He frowned and turned away. Then I saw Phaedra standing with a group of students.

  I approached her and touched her elbow lightly.

  She turned in my direction, “Hi.”

  “Hey. I haven’t seen you in a while. I didn’t expect to see you here?”

  “Well, you know my dad. I must go to all the fancy social functions.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

  “Have you met my father?”

  “I don’t think I have.”

  Phaedra turned to her group, “Please excuse us.” Then Phaedra grabbed my hand, “C’mon.” The next thing I knew, I was standing face to face with the Dean.

  The Dean ignored me as he chatted with several professors.

  “Hi daddy.”

  The Dean turned in our direction.

  “Hi sweet pea.”

  “I want you to meet Jax.”

  The Dean crinkled his nose when he looked at me. He took a minute before extending his hand for a handshake, “Young man, I believe we have met before.”

  I reached for his hand and shook his cold sweaty hand. “Yes, we have. You remember the interview for the newspaper article.”

  “I must say that was quite a splendid piece.”

  “Of course. Thank you for the chance to interview you and the wealth of information you provided me.”

  “Daddy, this is the one I’ve been telling you about.”

  He pointed at me, “This is the young man you spoke highly of?”

  “Yes, daddy.”

  The Dean frowned but a fake smile quickly appeared on his face gain. I guess he must put on a show in front of his colleagues.

  The Dean stared at me, “My daughter has spoken very highly of you.”

  “I’m sure she has exaggerated just a little.”

  “I am sure she has.”

  Phaedra asked, “Have you seen the art gallery?”

  I replied, “The art gallery?”

  “C’mon, I’ll show you.”

  I looked at the Dean and the faculty, “Good day gentlemen.”

  “Good day,” the Dean replied.

  Phaedra and I walked through the double sliding doors and entered the art gallery with a pastiche guarding the door. I studied the pastiche and observed how the artist welded a motley of scrap metal and refuse into an octopus-like humanoid. Then I spotted the oil paintings that spanned along all the gallery walls with three chiseled marble statutes of Greek gods standing in a row along the far wall.

  We walked to the first oil painting.

  I wrapped my hand around Phaedra’s waist, felt the warmth of her body, and whispered into her ear, “Thanks for the invite.”

  She looked back at me and smiled. ‘You’re welcome. But I thought you didn’t know my father?”

  “Well, we’ve bumped into each other once or twice before. We’re still forging our friendship. But I hope you don’t get into trouble for inviting me.”

  “Nah. I didn’t think he would miss one invitation. He had a whole stack lying on his desk.” Then we wrapped our arms around each other and started kissing.

  We pulled away to get a little air. Then I read the info card on the oil painting aloud, “1958 The Northern Lights, Derek Thompson. Never heard of him?”

  “The university sponsors local artists.”

  I examined the painting, “It’s like the artist just splattered paint onto the canvas.”

  “But you can see the trees, can’t you? Look here.” She grabbed my hand and pointed my finger at the objects in the painting, “See the trees’ reflection on the lake?” Then she moved my finger up and down. “Those streaks are the northern lights.”

  “Yah. I think I can see it now. It’s like the northern lights march across the canvas, one by one.” Brothers, I really didn’t see it. I just saw bright paints thrown randomly onto the canvas. I’ve seen toddlers paint better masterpieces.

  I missed the sweetness of her lips, and we started kissing again.

  I wasn’t sure how long we kissed, but the sliding doors had jerked open.

  Phaedra and I split apart. She looked towards the ground while I turned to look to see who had entered the room.

  The Dean said, “I hope I am not disturbing you two. Dinner shall be served shortly.”

  “Okay, thank you, daddy.”

  Phaedra and I walked towards the sliding double doors with at least a foot separating us while the Dean scrutinized us.

  We entered the dining hall and approached the elongated dinner table.

  “Jax, I believe your seat is here,” the Dean said. Oh, what a surprise, brothers? My spot was at the end of the table while the Dean sat at the head while Phaedra sat to his right.

  As everyone at the table made small chatter, I noticed a handsome guy sitting next to Phaedra. Phaedra would occasionally laugh at his jokes and hadn’t glanced in my direction for quite a while. It seemed Phaedra and this guy were enjoying their company together, and my girl had completely forgotten about me.

  The Dean rose and held his wine glass up, filled with ice water, of course, and tapped the side with a spoon.

  “Ladies and gentlemen. Ladies and gentlemen.”

  The murmurs and small chattering died down.

  The Dean started, “I thank you for taking the time to come to this appreciation dinner. As you look around yourselves, you represent the best and brightest of the university, and soon, you shall become the future leaders of our country. With your hard work, courage, and unflinching values, you shall make the School of Business the best in the state. Once you enter the business world and become future leaders, you shall never forget your alma mater and the good things the university has given you. Also, we shall never forget your h
ard work and achievements. Thus, it gives the faculty and I great please to host this honors banquet. So I give a toast.”

  The Dean saluted with his wine glass and then he sipped it while everyone followed, even me.

  We sat down again. My mouth began watering as the servants pushed the steel carts with the hors d'oeuvres. The servants placed large plates in the center of the table. The first plate overflowed with cocktail shrimp that surrounded a dish filled with cocktail sauce. The next platter had sliced cheeses lying on top of each other in a circle. Then a platter of cured sliced meats with a bowl of paté in the center. Finally, for the vegetarians, a platter of sliced vegetables with ranch dressing in the center.

  I grabbed a fork and shoveled meats, shrimp, and cheeses onto my plate. The food was delicious. I also put several shrimp and meats into a napkin that I folded and slipped carefully into my front pants pocket. A little something for my furry little friends living in the bushes near the Science-Math Building.

  The servants started placing a white plate with a filet mignon with bacon wrapped around the sides in front of every guest. Then they started removing the empty plates.

  I poked the meat with a fork and sliced a chunk off. Once that piece hit my taste buds, I closed my eyes and chewed slowly. Brothers, when food’s this good, I savored every bite, and I even forgot about my girl conversing with a handsome guy on the other side of the table. But tomorrow, back to the cruddy food in the cafeteria.

  I noticed the nerdy kid come in and handed the Dean a guest list. The Dean browsed through the list. Then he stared at me.

  The Dean motioned to the nerdy kid to move nearer and whispered into his ear while the nerdy kid nodded his head up and down.

  I felt a bad premonition tingle up and down my spine. I pushed the baked potatoes topped with sour cream and chives to the side of the plate with my fork. I hurried and sliced the filet mignon in small bites and began shoveling them into my mouth.

  As the nerdy kid approached me, I ate faster. I finally finished the steak and moved on to the baked potato.

  The nerdy kid bent down and whispered in my ear, “The Dean wants to speak with you in the art gallery.”

  I nodded my head, “Okay.”

  Nerdy kid walked away. I grabbed another napkin and filled it cured meats. Then I slipped that napkin into my other pants pocket. I stood up and walked to the gallery.

  A minute later, the Dean joined me and closed the doors gently.

  The Dean started the conversation, “It seems we cannot find your name on the guest list.”

  I looked at him and shrugged my shoulders.

  “I imagine my daughter had something to do with this little escapade.”

  “Well, sir. She wanted me to meet you, so how could I say no.”

  He squinted his eyes and shook his head from left to right, “Good god. I am not sure what my daughter sees in you.”

  I’m not sure why I did it, but my crouch began itching, so I started to scratch it. “I’m not sure what she sees in me either, but I’m sure she feels, I mean, sees something good.”

  “You have no culture. No dignity. No respect. No future. No prospects -.”

  “Hey, hey. Don’t be so harsh. I do have a future, but you can’t see it beyond your pompous nose. You never know. I may even marry your daughter and give you a litter of grandchildren, dad.”

  The Dean’s complexion reddened as he pointed his finger rudely at me, “I am warning you. I forbid you to see my daughter.”

  “Sir, what can you do about it? Are you planning to lock up your daughter in the house? That’ll never work. You’ll chase her into my open arms.”

  “Ah, are you sure? She seems to be interested in Steve.” The Dean pointed towards the dining room table on the other side of the door. “That young man has a future.” The Dean started chuckling. “By the end of the week, she shall forget your name.”

  “We’ll see, pops.”

  “You must leave now. Otherwise, I shall call campus security and have them escort you out of the building.”

  “Very well then.”

  I walked past the Dean and opened the sliding doors. I looked at Phaedra and saw her in a deep conversation with Steve.

  I turned to the dean, “Thank you sir for the delicious food and splendid conversation.” Then I exited the ballroom and walked to the Math-Sciences Building.

  I sat on the grass near the bushes and puckered my lips making loud kissing sounds. Next thing I know, three kittens were climbing up and down my lap. I pulled out the two napkins filled with cured meats and shrimp and began feeding my little friends.