Nowhere Fast
Chapter 4 - Shattered Glass
Pacey Witter
The following day, I was rushing from Calculus to get lunch in the Student Union. It was the one day that Jack and I could fit in a lunch together. Actually, it was a pretty good excuse to have company as we could both check out the women this campus had to offer.
I saw Jack on one of the lines waiting to be served. I crept behind him in line.
“What’s the selection for today?” I asked in a phony rich accent.
Jack glanced over at me, then reported in a similarly snooty tone, “There’s a lovely catch of the day which we scavenged through the crud by the port. With you choice of mashed potatoes or a mysterious yellow gruel that we’re trying to pass off as creamed corn.”
“What about the green paste from yesterday? You don’t have any of that?”
“You mean the broccoli? I’m sorry, that was our hot item for the day. You should have gotten here an hour ago.” Jack tried to keep a straight face but was unsuccessful. He muttered, “We need some actual lives, you realize that?”
“I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one thinking that. We definitely need to find out what this campus has to offer. So far, it’s just boring classes and cliques.”
After we ordered our food, we glanced around the seating area. It was pretty crowded at this point so we were fortunate to find an empty table. We dropped our backpacks on one chair and sat in the other two.
I spotted the one desirable table in the place. It was a group of females, all extremely chatty. I pointed over to that table, “You know they are the people we should be seeking the company of. They’d know about the recreational activities this place offers on the weekends.”
Jack took a quick glimpse over at them and snickered, “There is no way they would even acknowledge your existence. That is, unless you happened to be sitting at that table,” gesturing over to a table against the wall full of guys. Stereotypical fraternity brothers.
I kidded, “Not exactly the type of company I had in mind. They’re decent looking but I’m really not into muscle guys.”
He gave me a strange look, then shook it off, “You know I meant that those were…”
“I know what you meant, Jack. I would never join that type of a crowd. Dealing with stupid pledges just to get in, only to be surgically stuck to the group for four years. My sister Gretchen was in a sorority and I know just enough to know I know way too much.” Looking back at the ladies’ table, I added, “I just didn’t immediately recognize they were Greek as well.”
I saw Joey wandering around the cafeteria for a familiar face. Upon spotting us, her face dropped, then trudged over to our table.
“I hope I don’t have to grovel or anything but would you mind if I joined you?”
“Groveling could certainly help,” I joked, “There’s something completely attractive about a women in that type of position.” I moved our backpacks off the chair. Joey plopped down in the seat, clanging her tray onto the table.
Joey glared at me, “This is really not what I need right now. I need to figure out whether to drop this stupid Play Analysis class.”
“You’re into the theatre?” Okay, so my theatre background was limited to a couple of third-rate school plays. At least I knew something about it.
She shook her head, “Not really, I’ve only seen school plays myself.” That was a sigh of relief I hope she didn’t just hear. “I’m taking this class to learn a little about it. My boyfriend writes these screenplays and I thought it would be a cool idea to look into it.” So now I was officially supposed to know about Dawson, as opposed to the eavesdropping from a day ago. “Anyway, the first play is The Glass Menagerie and I’m just having so trouble with it.”
“I’m sure it’s a common problem for the other students in the class as well.” I reassured her.
Joey picked up a piece of bread from her tray, “That’s just it. There was this guy in the class talking about it in depth. He seemed to know exactly what Tennessee Williams was trying to convey. Well, he certainly stumped me.”
Jack piped up, “That’s a pretty hard play to visualize on a piece of paper. The main charm of the play is the images projected on a screen in the background. I’d say that person just found a website with a detailed analysis.”
She laughed at the remark, “I take it you know the drama I’m talking about.”
He smirked, “Sadly, I do. There was a local production that was absolutely horrible. My sister, in her infinite wisdom, got this grandiose plan to do her own production. She thought of it as a way to have her college application stand out from all the others. Naturally, she dragged me in the middle of it.”
“How did it turn out?” She asked.
“It was pretty effective. On both counts. She’s attending Brown University.”
“I remember getting applications from that school. That’s a pretty good school, not to mention quite expensive.”
“You’re paying for the education, all right. That’s why we’re here, not dealing too much with loans while Andie will be stuck with financial debts for many years to come.”
I got up from my chair, “If you don’t mind, I’m going to find out about the party scene this weekend,” gesturing over to the sorority table.
Jack nodded, “Good luck, Pace.” Joey waved me off on my way.
This definitely wasn’t what I had in mind when I offered Joey my seat. How dare Jack have actual interests in common with her! Oh, who the hell am I kidding? I’m just blowing an intellectual conversation up to be more than it really is.
* * * * *
Jack McPhee
After Pacey left the table, Joey mumbled, “He’s trying to get a date with one of the sisters, isn’t he?”
“I don’t know. I think he’s just bored out of his mind and looking for a hobby.”
Joey laughed, “That is probably the first thing I’d agree with him about. It seems like everyone already knows everybody. Except us, of course.”
“You’re wishing you were back in Massachusetts?”
She thought about it, “Not exactly that so much as the security of having something familiar to hold onto. It’s not a positive when I can say the best moments so far have occurred in phone conversations with Dawson. Not that they’re not wonderful, but, well, you know what I mean.”
“Sadly, I know exactly what you mean,” I remarked, “But haven’t you always wanted to have a fresh start in your life? Forget about every little problem you’ve faced in the previous eighteen years?”
“Part of me relates perfectly to that idea. Here, I’m not the girl from the wrong side of the creek. I don’t have the people in town making lame remarks about my family or the responsibilities associated with my sister’s business. Hell, these people wouldn’t give a fuck about any of those things. Still, there are people that I’ve known my whole life, such as my sister Bessie or my childhood friend Dawson, that I cherish and miss so much.”
“Dawson? The boyfriend Dawson?”
Joey gave a small smile, “I don’t really have the patience to get into the semantics or history of Dawson and Joey. Not that you’d really care, anyway.”
“If it helps you to talk about Dawson to an outsider, I wouldn’t mind assisting.”
“I may hold you to that offer. Not today, however. Back to the play. So, the whole story is basically a series of memories?”
“Tom is looking back at the life he left behind. As much as he wants to move on, as much as he doesn’t want to deal with the problems he has with his family, he’s still haunted by these memories. He knows that he had to leave his mother and sister and the world they’ve created behind. Otherwise, he’d be trapped as well. Yet he lives in a fantasy world of his own, not fully accepting reality either.” As I’m explaining this to her, I’m realizing how closely related the situations are. There’s no escaping the past. You still think about the father who had practically deserted the family or the mother sticking with a time when the family was a cohesive unit.
Joey nodded, “Do you realize how much clearer that is than the story itself?”
“Like I said, it’s a story better appreciated on the stage.”
She nodded in agreement, then continued eating. She was about to leave when she saw Pacey still talking to the sorority sisters, “Does he really think they’d give him the time of day?”
“He’s said that he was quite successful with the ladies in New York.”
“I guess they’re not very particular.” Joey sneered.
Operation Dorm Match off to a slow start. “Joey, you don’t really know anything about him. You’d realize that you two could actually have a connection.”
Joey glared at me, then let down her gaze, “I suppose I don’t. Doesn’t mean I’m interested either.”
“I’m not saying you should be interested. That’s your decision. I’m just saying that, for as long as we’re forced to share the same living quarters, there should at least be a civil atmosphere. Speaking of which, have you spoken to Campus Residences about the error?”
She sighed loudly, “Yes, I did. The gist of the discussion was that they needed proof that I am in fact the gender I claim to be, then I’m stuck on a waiting list for new housing. You know about the housing crisis on campus so that could take awhile. So, yes, I suppose I have to be courteous to him.”
* * * * *
Joey Potter
After I finished classes for the day, I went back to the dorm to read the play again. Maybe there was even a movie based on some of the other productions we’d have to deal with in class. Come on, that’s the equivalent of Cliff’s Notes. No, they are merely supplemental aids devised to understand the material better. Were there really pages on the web devoted to analyzing this?
Stop it, Potter, you can’t take the easy way out of this class.
Once I finished rereading (not to mention understanding for the first time), I decided to give Dawson a call. After three rings, an unfamiliarly deep voice answers, “How ya doin’, sweet thang?”
“What the hell?”
The guy suddenly turned apologetic, “Sorry about that. I thought you were my girlfriend Stephanie. Can I help you?”
“Is Dawson there?”
“He went to pick up dinner. Should be back any minute.”
“Can you let him know that Joey called?”
“So you’re Joey? I’ve been hearing so much about you. I’ll be sure to let him know you called.”
“Thanks,” I told him as I hung up the phone.
While waiting for that, I got up to use the bathroom. I headed through the first door and, well, you know, did my business. I was about to return to my room when I heard noises coming from the other room. I knocked on the door but there was no answer.
“Hello, is anyone there?” I exclaimed. No answer.
I listened to the music on the other side of the door.
I walked around my good intentions
and found that there were none
I blame my father for the wasted years
we hardly talked
I never thought I would forget this hate
then a phone call made me realize
I'm wrong
If I don't make it known that
I've loved you all along
just like the sunny days that
we ignore because
we're all dumb & jaded
and I hope to God I figure out
what's wrong
I walked around my room
not thinking
just sinking in this box
I blame myself for being too much
like somebody else
I never thought I would just
bend this way
“4am” ~ Our Lady Peace
Definitely different than the crap Pacey was playing yesterday. Not that this was crap, not at all. Which means that either Pacey had acquired respectable taste in the span of less than twenty-four hours or…
Crash. That would be my body hitting the ground as the door opened and Jack stood over me. I hadn’t even realized I’d been leaning against the door until that moment.
He began laughing as he helped me up on my feet.
“I’m so sorry, I was just listening to the music. I didn’t mean to disturb you, yet again.” I babbled on, yet again. Damn, why is it I feel this uncontrollable need to keep talking much longer than I want to when I’m around him? Could I have sounded more desperate with that problem earlier? Well, I was desperate, but that’s not the point.
“Don’t worry about it. If you could tolerate the music, you should just say so.”
I laughed, “I suppose it would be a change of pace to compliment on occasion.” I’ve gotta stop this. Remember, Dawson’s supposed to call any minute and you don’t want to miss his phone call. Or, at least, I’m not supposed to want to miss his phone call.
“Is there anything else, or would you feel safer eavesdropping?”
“Actually, I.. I’m waiting for a call so I’d better get going.” I stammered as I left the room. I have to stop doing that; he might inadvertently think I’m attracted to him or something. Well he is rather attractive, but I have Dawson why would I need to look for someone else.
Chapter 5 - Strange Aromas
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