Andy had viewed a video of the state university several times but even so was shocked at the sheer size of the college's campus. To his untraveled eyes, it seemed as big as a small town.
He was processed through admission and went to Monroe Hall to grab the best bedroom and was in luck. No one else had arrived.
All were double rooms and he picked bedroom 3 and unpacked and connected up his laptop to check that he had internet access. He emailed his mom, 'Arrived. Good flight. Room looks good. I am very excited.' He then used a map to locate one of the cafes.
Before leaving the room, locking the bedroom door and taking the two keys on the ring, Andy checked the quite extensive view over the campus and out to the hills. He was on the fourth floor. He picked up a thin booklet titled, 'Monroe Hall, Rules and Regulations'.
He flicked through and stopped quite shocked. Monroe was one of two mixed-sex residence halls. He'd not asked for that and in fact would have much preferred to be in an apartment with seven other guys and they could live comfortably without being told what to do by bossy females.
Nah surely they would have males on every other floor and females in between floors or the apartments had to be single sex communities. The thought of panties and stockings hanging to dry when he came in from his regular 6:00 am run rather put him off Monroe Hall because he was now expecting the worst.
Anyway the café food was good and the coffee great so that cheered him. His phone went.
Oh that would be his mom or Registration who'd taken his cell phone number.
"Andy Ash."
"Oh hi Andy, it's Mrs Roach. You are due to meet with Professor Allen and me in an hour's time. Could you come now, we've had two no-shows and we can resume other work when we've interviewed you."
"Okay I have a map and have located the room. I should be with you within ten."
"Five would be more acceptable."
The cheeky bitch then cut the call and for a moment he felt like being a no-show.
He was greeted by a guy when he entered the room.
"Hi Andy, I'm Fred Allen and this is Julie Roach. Because you only just scraped in to come here after a second assessment by Admission, we have examined your academic performance to date and have to tell you we here at the School of Applied Sciences, Technology and Journalism run intense courses and expect high standards."
"Yes I expected that because I want my degree to be worth something."
"Quite."
Julie said, "Your application said you grew up on a ranch and you gained lots of experience. Please define that experience."
"I've spent my entire life on a cattle ranch so know horses, dogs and Angus cattle intimately, always having to pitch in when I came home from school. Every summer I spent a month at my paternal grandparents' farm until they sold two autumns ago. They ran sheep and deer so I added deer handling and were there for their haymaking and fruit picking and I went home for more haymaking. In recent years I became proficient at plowing to prepare for supplementary winter green feed on crop rotation best practice and we also grew corn. I would arrive home from school and relieve dad and plow till mom came to get me around 9:00 for late dinner."
That sounds very impressive," said Fred. "What do you know about animal diseases?"
"Well vets do most of the treatment but rely on us for early detection. Things I've been taught to spot for cattle include calf scours, blackleg, foot rot, pink eye, ringworm and of course they can be tested for lepto and TB for example. Sheep problems I've dealt with include mastitis in ewes, pneumonia, coccidisosis in lambs and of course I missed experiencing bad things you hope to never meet include John's Disease and scrapie."
Fred grinned and said, "You have me almost thinking you are a post-graduate student. Now Julie will talk to you about what we think about your situation here."
Julie consulted her notes. "I note you have consistently scored well in English exams and that's good for journalism but I also noted you don't appear to have won prizes for writing or been on a school newspaper?"
"No and that's why I'm here ready to study hard Julie. I want to be groomed well in agricultural journalism. Every day in the newspaper you read people sounding off about agriculture, often without having a clue of what they are talking about and people write ridiculous things in newspapers putting the boot in about agricultural products and processing. Jesus I even read a letter to the editor about some woman who'd walked into a deer slaughter plant and learned, and I quote, some of poor darlings had their horns cut off and it had been twenty-four hours, she was told, since the deer had last been fed."
"Well I would like a job where I'm qualified to write to educate people who spout off without knowledge of approved slaughter methods. And people also rant on about restaurants dumping perfectly good food and farmers tipping milk out because the collection truck failed to show up and the holding tank refrigeration unit had malfunctioned. Someone has to defend farming and industry against that bad-mouthing and also write to educate farmers and industry about good and bad practices and provide interesting examples relating to ethical issues and protecting their industry image by doing the right things."
Fred looked at Julie who nodded. Fred stood and held out his hand and Andy shook it.
"Congratulations Andy, please proceed on your chosen academic course. We both see potential in you and your replies to us were more than satisfactory. May you graduate well."
The stern lady said, "I completely agree with Fred. On paper I was worried about you but having heard you in the flesh I now believe I worried unnecessary. Off you go and enjoy life on this wonderful campus."
Gee what a bossy bitch, Andy thought as he walked off. She wasted his time and Prof Allen's time. She ought to stay home watching TV soaps and mop floors.
He then thought well what if she'd been right in her acute screening of applicant entry acceptances? Prof Allen would have squeezed her tit and said good girl Julie. Ah well perhaps it paid not to jump to conclusions and the Prof wouldn't do that to her if he suspected she was gay. How do you tell if a woman is gay? By the way she flicks out her tongue? He had no idea. He was just a dummy from a ranch.
Andy returned to the room and noticed doors to bedrooms 1 and 2 were shut. He knocked but there was no reply. He tried his key in both locks but it wasn't the right fit. Good they had privacy to their rooms. He assumed the newcomers would also be freshmen as that would be sensible room allocation matching. He recalled on the accommodation acceptance noticed he'd received way back, if he didn't like his apartment occupants he could apply for placement elsewhere but the next sentence had stated it would be advisable not to hold one's breath.
Andy heard the apartment door open and left checking on admin memos to students to go and greet the newcomer.
The guy was thickset, and weather beaten.
"Hi I'm Andy Ash. You're a day early too. Here to get a choice room?"
"I'm Rick Burgess. Didn't you get a list of fellow occupants?"
"No."
"Well I almost didn't come to this college when I read the list but it was too expensive to pull out. I'm to share with you."
"And that put you off coming here?"
"No you idiot. The other six who share this apartment are female."
"Oh fuck we'll never get the bathroom free."
Rick grinned. "We'll have to get the girls to agree to us being allowed to walk in on them in the bathroom but not the crap house."
They laughed and Rick said, "Oh here's your key and unhooked it from the ring.
"Thanks. I believe we are doing the same degree and that is why we are paired I guess."
"What Ag communication and journalism?"
"Yeah. My two brothers are already on the ranch so I wasn't required and thought I'd get this degree and then get a masters in something really specific."
"Good thinking," Andy said. "Um I was first here and...
"...and grabbed the best room for the least disturbance and the best side of the room."
"Yeah good guess. But we can toss which side of the room if you wish?
