CHAPTER 3
THE UNIVERSITY
I had taken Dad's insurance money and placed it with an investment advisor. I told him what I wanted to do and that I wanted to make the money go as far as it was possible. By the time I graduated from the girl's school on the river I had spent a good bit of the money, but I was surprised to learn that my advisor had been making money for me almost as fast as I had been frugally spending it. I could afford to go to the in-state university and that's what I planned to do.
I couldn't go home that summer between schools. My mother didn't know I was living as a woman and I really didn't want to tell her. We exchanged letters and I told her I was going to the university and planned to go up early and find some work as well as a place to live. The school was lenient on the dormitory policy and as long as I kept my grades up and attended classes, they would allow me to live off campus. I didn't want to spend the money for a car, so I packed up my things and took the bus to the town that held state university. The bus station was in the middle of town and I could almost walk anywhere I needed to go. I went to a close by realtor and made my wishes known. The lady seemed nice and told me she had something for me.
I retrieved my things from the bus depot and moved into a third-floor efficiency with a private bath and not much else. I had enough money from Dad to keep me in school, but I needed work to afford a place to live and a little extra for food and fun.
I got a job working in a used car dealership selling cars. The owner needed a salesman. I needed a car and that caused our meeting in the first place. Instead of buying a car I went to work and had the privilege of driving anything on the lot. I was also pretty good at selling. He wasn't so sure about a woman selling cars but after I sold 3 cars the first weekend, he realized that I could sell. Time would make me an all-around car person. I could sell the cars, clean them, service them and deliver them. I also learned to do the financing with local banks for our buyers as well. It was a great deal for me and for the dealership, so we prospered.
I found a new bigger apartment not too far off campus, closer to the dealership and I worked all summer at my newfound vocation. The money was decent, and I was living a good life. What I didn't do was go out much, no dates. I was asked, but I just didn't know how to handle boys yet.
One day while I was parking cars on the lot for display, a girl came in looking to buy a car. We chatted a lot and after she selected a car and I got her a loan from the bank. She asked me if she could buy me a drink after work and I agreed. She came back later and picked me up in her new used car.