Chapter 7: Academic Relief
A week later, Kelly's tuition came due. She handled it badly. Normally, her parents would have already paid it, but they couldn't or wouldn't. At least, they weren't. This was the final notice, all in pink and red. She had been too anxious about paying the large sum to preview what it would do to her bank account. After paying it, her bank balance was three dollars. Well, at least it wasn't overdrawn.
Kelly tried to think clearly about how to fix the problem. She couldn't afford tampons, anything. She had no money to buy lube, and they were running out quickly. She figured she could get the girls to cover that. But she couldn't even afford to eat breakfast the next morning.
She wasn't going to call her parents. She was too proud for that. She was way too proud to call Scott and ask him for money, though she knew in her heart he would give her anything she needed with no strings attached. No. And she would not mooch off her friends like a vagrant. Another girl in the dorms did that for only a couple of weeks last year. She was still a pariah.
That left only one choice. She called the office of Biff Hutcherson, the Dean of Mathematics, and reached his secretary. "I need to meet with him urgently about my finances," she said.
"He's almost out the door," said the lady, "But I'll ask if he has any time this week." This week! Kelly began to panic.
A minute later, the lady returned to the phone. "The Dean will see you as soon as you can get over here. Be quick about it, please."
"I thought you were going to close," said Kelly.
"Well, I'm leaving," said the lady, "but he's staying late to meet with you. Great lengths and all that. Would open a vein. Heh. Don't be concerned. He doesn't mean it literally, remember that."
"That's a load off my mind," joked Kelly. The woman had already hung up.
Kelly was completely out of breath by the time she made it to the Dean's office. The Dean answered the outer office door all by himself, and then locked it behind her. "Come in! Come in!" he enthused. "Catch your breath. My you look so sanguine... and vigorous." Full body check.
Well, he could ogle her all he wanted as long as he solved her cash problem. "Dean Hutcherson," Kelly began.
"Biff! Please call me Biff," he soothed. "My friends call me Biff. I consider you a friend, Kelly." Another full body check. "Can I get you a glass of water or anything?"
"No, thank you," she said. Kelly told the Dean about her money problems. "So you see, I don't even have enough money to buy breakfast tomorrow morning."
The Dean opened one of his desk drawers, pulled out a document, and signed it. "This is a dining contract. It's a gift to you from the School of Mathematics completely free of charge. You can present this temporarily at any cafeteria on campus. I believe the larger ones always have three choices each for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You'll get a laminated card to replace this in about a week. Problem solved!" Biff smiled broadly. He was his own cheerleader. "And might I say Kelly," he said, doing another full body check, "your teachers all rave about you. I'm proud to help such an excellent student."
It was so kind and generous, but not nearly enough. "Thank you so much, Dean-"
"Biff! Call me Biff. B-i-f-f." he chortled.
"All right... Biff... your gift is kind and generous, but not nearly enough," Kelly informed him.
"What do you mean?" he asked, genuinely confused. "You have a roof over your head, tuition all paid, three meals a day. Covered!"
"But I need money for toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, you name it," argued Kelly.
"Ho ho," said Biff, "students today. Couldn't conceive of roughing it. Can't you borrow such things from your friends?"
"Yes, but only temporarily," said Kelly. "It adds up, Biff! Feminine products."
"Perfume?" he asked.
"No, tampons!" said Kelly. "Unless you want me to leave drops of menstrual blood all over the math department."
"Hah hah! What a joker!" said Biff. "I wasn't saying that at all. I wasn't talking about things coming from your..." He swallowed hard, loosened his necktie, and undressed her methodically with his eyes.
"My cooch?" suggested Kelly.
"Hah hah you're such a forthright young lady," he declared, wiping his brow with his handkerchief. "Now Kelly, let's be serious for a moment." His expression was grave. "It's very difficult for the school to give you any cash. Dining services are no problem. The fact of the matter is, many of the students that have come before you have gotten by with less."
"Sure, in the Middle Ages!" Kelly argued. "I guess that wasn't a problem then, because women weren't allowed to go to university!"
"Hah hah! Oh you're such a lively girl. So witty and lively," Biff praised with twinkling eyes. "I could talk to you all night, ahem, all day long. All the time! Hah hah!" Then Biff sobered up. "But I see your point. The world is always, heh, updating. Modern times require modern thinking. Although the department itself can't give cash..."
"I'm listening carefully," said Kelly.
"Well, it's true, of course, that a girl, a woman, should be able to afford nice things, should she not?"