bring out the worst in people, especially myself. The longer I lay there, the more depressed I became. I was in such a state of mind when I first met my roommate, Charles Montgomery. Charles burst into the room as if a pack of wild dogs were chasing him. No sooner had he slammed the door closed and bolted the lock than a thunderous pounding began. “Charles, let us in, you scoundrel! We know what you’ve got in there!” shouted a voice from the other side of the door.
Charles leaned against the door with a straw hat clutched in his hand. Between gasps of air, he retorted smartly, “Not a chance, gentlemen.” He suddenly realized that I was there and gave me a big wink. “I can’t let you in on account of my new roommate is taking a nap and I don’t want to disturb him. So if you would … please stop attempting to break down the door, and let the poor man rest. He looks like an absolute wreck.”
“A likely excuse, Charles. I know how you are,” retorted the voice. “You would say anything to get your way. You have no scruples.”
At this, Charles made a face as if to agree with the observation, but he did not seem bothered by this attack on his character. “I wouldn’t do anything that you yourself wouldn’t. Be off now, before my father gets here and sees you.”
There was a moment of silence as the pounder pondered the validity of the threat. “I see how it is. Call for daddy to bail you out,” the voice jeered. “Next time I see you, I’d better get a chance to win back my losses without you conveniently cutting out.”
“Sure, sure, you old boar. Just be sure to bring more money with you. I’d hate to take the clothes off your back as well.”
There was one final pound on the door, and I could hear angry footsteps stomping off.
Charles then looked at me and grinned. “You just have to love old friends who also happen to be sore losers. I apologize for all the commotion.” He walked over, stuck out his hand, and said, “Charles Montgomery, pleased to meet you.”
I sized him up. He was about six feet tall and wore pressed pants and a knit white sweater vest. He had a mischievous face with grayish blue eyes and thick, tousled blond hair—a rather handsome fellow, all in all. His most striking feature was his smile, which stretched from ear to ear much like that of a Cheshire cat trying to conceal a most delicious secret. I met his over-zealous hand with mine. “It’s a pleasure. My name is Tom.”
“Splendid. I was quite curious to see who my roommate would be. So … you best just tell me about yourself right off the bat. I’ll have it out of you one way or another.”
I was not exactly sure what to make of Charles. It seemed as if there was just too much life squeezed into him, and he did not know how to control it. He began to pace back and forth, waiting for me to reply while he fidgeted with his hands. “All right then. No need to be shy. I tell you what. I’ll start us off to make things easier.” Before a rebuttal was possible, he carried on. “Charles Montgomery, but of course I already said that. Anyway, I’ve never been very good at this sort of thing. I always tend to babble on far too long, so feel free to cut me off or butt in if I leave out anything important. I have two older brothers, and both graduated from Locklear at the top of their class. Rather big shoes to fill, wouldn’t you say? I rather gave up on all of that business a long time ago. In all honesty, the only reason I’m here is because my father happens to be on the board and our family members have been attending here for multiple generations now. I didn’t want to break the cycle. I’d have broken my father’s heart. As far as he’s concerned, Locklear University is heaven on earth. Seeing as I’ve been here on campus just short of a thousand times while growing up, I feel I can speak as a bit of an expert, and I can’t say I’m quite so fond of it. But it’s not half bad, really.”
He
Charles leaned against the door with a straw hat clutched in his hand. Between gasps of air, he retorted smartly, “Not a chance, gentlemen.” He suddenly realized that I was there and gave me a big wink. “I can’t let you in on account of my new roommate is taking a nap and I don’t want to disturb him. So if you would … please stop attempting to break down the door, and let the poor man rest. He looks like an absolute wreck.”
“A likely excuse, Charles. I know how you are,” retorted the voice. “You would say anything to get your way. You have no scruples.”
At this, Charles made a face as if to agree with the observation, but he did not seem bothered by this attack on his character. “I wouldn’t do anything that you yourself wouldn’t. Be off now, before my father gets here and sees you.”
There was a moment of silence as the pounder pondered the validity of the threat. “I see how it is. Call for daddy to bail you out,” the voice jeered. “Next time I see you, I’d better get a chance to win back my losses without you conveniently cutting out.”
“Sure, sure, you old boar. Just be sure to bring more money with you. I’d hate to take the clothes off your back as well.”
There was one final pound on the door, and I could hear angry footsteps stomping off.
Charles then looked at me and grinned. “You just have to love old friends who also happen to be sore losers. I apologize for all the commotion.” He walked over, stuck out his hand, and said, “Charles Montgomery, pleased to meet you.”
I sized him up. He was about six feet tall and wore pressed pants and a knit white sweater vest. He had a mischievous face with grayish blue eyes and thick, tousled blond hair—a rather handsome fellow, all in all. His most striking feature was his smile, which stretched from ear to ear much like that of a Cheshire cat trying to conceal a most delicious secret. I met his over-zealous hand with mine. “It’s a pleasure. My name is Tom.”
“Splendid. I was quite curious to see who my roommate would be. So … you best just tell me about yourself right off the bat. I’ll have it out of you one way or another.”
I was not exactly sure what to make of Charles. It seemed as if there was just too much life squeezed into him, and he did not know how to control it. He began to pace back and forth, waiting for me to reply while he fidgeted with his hands. “All right then. No need to be shy. I tell you what. I’ll start us off to make things easier.” Before a rebuttal was possible, he carried on. “Charles Montgomery, but of course I already said that. Anyway, I’ve never been very good at this sort of thing. I always tend to babble on far too long, so feel free to cut me off or butt in if I leave out anything important. I have two older brothers, and both graduated from Locklear at the top of their class. Rather big shoes to fill, wouldn’t you say? I rather gave up on all of that business a long time ago. In all honesty, the only reason I’m here is because my father happens to be on the board and our family members have been attending here for multiple generations now. I didn’t want to break the cycle. I’d have broken my father’s heart. As far as he’s concerned, Locklear University is heaven on earth. Seeing as I’ve been here on campus just short of a thousand times while growing up, I feel I can speak as a bit of an expert, and I can’t say I’m quite so fond of it. But it’s not half bad, really.”
He
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