Chapter 10 - An evening with Pledge Kathleen
The 19 women, with President Alexandra setting the pace and calling cadence, ran in towards the university in military formation. She sang in a manner very familiar to anyone who had ever undergone military training, with her 18 followers clapping and chanting after her:
"Left...right...left-right-left!"
"Left...right...left-right-left!"
"Runnin' that mornin' Four-Beta left!"
"Runnin' that mornin' Four-Beta left!"
"Left...right...left-right-left!"
"Left...right...left-right-left!"
"Runnin' that mornin' Four-Beta left!"
"Runnin' that mornin' Four-Beta left!"
"I don't wanna be no drunken fat-bitch!"
"I don't wanna be no drunken fat-bitch!"
"I don't wanna party 'till I puck!"
"I don't wanna party 'till I puck!"
"Drunk...Drunk...Drunk-Drunk-Drunk-Drunk!"
"Drunk...Drunk...Drunk-Drunk-Drunk-Drunk!"
"Sick, pathetic, disgusting drunk!"
"Sick, pathetic, disgusting drunk!..."
As Lisa sang with the others, she wasn't sure what to make of the run. She remembered occasionally hearing the Four-Betas running and chanting the previous fall, and now here she was, doing it herself. It was obvious that in every detail, especially exercising, the Four-Betas took themselves very seriously. She thought the military-style chanting was a bit much, but knew that the Four Betas saw themselves as distinct and far superior to the other sororities.
The Four-Betas' loathing of the campus drinking culture came out clearly in their daily run, and in part they were singing to taunt the members of the other sororities. The other sororities, in turn, referred to the Four-Betas as "the sex bitches". In every way possible the Four-Betas tried to set themselves apart, and the military exercising was only one part of how the sorority members saw themselves, their group, and their place in the university.
The women continued their trek through the old part of the university towards the stadium. They ran through an open gate and made four circles around the track. Then, Alexandra separated the pledges from the other members and ordered the newcomers onto the field to stretch. The sophomores began running up and down the stairs of the bleachers, but the president knew that the pledges were not properly conditioned and having them run on the stairs was still several weeks away.
Cherine and Bernadette looked up with dismay as their sweaty companions wore themselves out running up and down the bleachers. How on earth would they ever become fit enough to be able to do that? Lisa and Kathleen, on the other hand, looked at the running women with envy, eagerly awaiting the day they would be strong enough to keep up with the sophomores.
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The women ran back to the sorority, having put in two full miles plus the stair training for the sophomores. They were drenched in sweat as they approached the sorority and finally slowed to a walk. They filed into the back yard, stripped off their wet uniforms, and finished with a round of stretching. Afterwards they took turns rinsing off at the patio shower and jumped into the pool. The pledges joined the others, since the water helped relax everyone's legs after the run.
Tracy showed up, already cleaned up and dressed for the day.
"Pledges, out of the pool! Let's move it!"
The pledges quickly scrambled out of the water and knelt in line.
"Roll up these mats and pick up the uniforms! Put the clothes in the wash and clean up for breakfast!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
The pledges quickly rolled up the mats and picked up 19 sweaty uniforms. The only items they left in place were the running shoes, which would be retrieved by the owners. Once the uniforms were in the washer and they had showered off, the pledges knelt in the sitting room waiting for permission to eat. Lisa and Kathleen in particular were famished, given that they had not eaten since lunchtime the day before. Tracy came to the door and ordered the pledges to the table on the back porch, once again landing a hard slap on the bare bottom of each as she went by. Apparently she enjoyed doing that, because every time the pledges filed past her each one always got a slap on the bottom.
Following breakfast, the pledges knelt in the sitting room for yet another day of orientation. The first order of business was issuing full sets of summer pledge uniforms. Each newcomer received a backpack, three additional pairs of shorts, three t-shirts, four pairs of socks, and two sports bras. The shirts all were printed with the same message:
PLEDGE
This pledge is the property of the Four-Beta Sorority. If found unescorted, please return to rightful owner.
Tracy explained the rules about the clothing. She emphasized that, while the pledges had to be completely undressed whenever they were in the sorority house, the nudity rule unfortunately could not be enforced when they went out. Given that each pledge would be starting summer classes at the beginning of June, it was necessary that they be issued clothing to wear while on campus.
The rules concerning the clothing were:
- The uniform for class consisted of running shoes, shorts and a t-shirt. No underwear of any type, nor any other article of clothing, was permitted with the class uniform. For running the uniforms consisted of shoes, socks, shorts, a sports bra, and the t-shirt. Tampons would be issued to each pledge whenever she had her period to avoid the necessity of wearing panties.
- No jewelry, watches, make-up, perfume, fingernail polish, or deodorant was permitted. Hair could be secured, but only with non-decorative hair clips.
- The shirts had to be tucked in. All lettering on the shirts and shorts had to be fully visible at all times. For example, the backpacks had to be carried and not worn, and books could not be held in front of a pledge's chest.
- Uniforms had to be kept spotless. Any spill would require an immediate trip to the sorority house to change. The uniform could only be worn once before it needed to be washed.
- Upon entering the sorority house, the pledges were required to undress immediately. If a pledge anticipated going back out later in the day, she was to neatly hang her uniform in the closet nearest the front door. If she was finished with the day's classes, she needed to take her shoes downstairs and put the dirty uniform in the washer.
- The only items a pledge could carry with her on campus were the following: textbooks, writing materials, a small bottle of drinking water, and a wallet containing the pledge's student ID, library card, and sorority ID. The permitted items had to be neatly stored in the backpack and were subject to inspection. All other items, especially cash and cell phones, were strictly prohibited.
- While on campus, each pledge was required to keep a set of handcuffs and a blindfold in the right front pocket of her shorts. The handcuffs had to be stored neatly folded in the blindfold. Apart from the cuffs and blindfold, pledges were not permitted to carry any other items in the pockets of their shorts.
The pledges took their new outfits to the pledge room and put them on hangers in their lockers. For the first time since entering the sorority the pledges were allowed to access their lockers, but only for a few brief moments while they put their new uniforms away. Tracy passed out the handcuffs and blindfolds that would be part of their uniforms, but for the time being those items also went into the lockers.
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The fourth full day at the Four-Beta Sorority was a busy one, but fortunately it started out uneventful. The pledges spent the morning washing linens, doing yard work, and cleaning the back windows. There was lunch, and then a class given by Heather titled "personal finance for college students." Heather's lecture taught the pledges how to avoid various financial scams, how to maintain a checking account, and how to prevent credit card debt. There was a test and practical exam on the material, a yoga break in the hot afternoon sun, fifteen minutes of rigorous swimming in the pool, and a shower on the patio. The pledges lined up on the patio to go back inside. Tracy stood at the door and yet again landed a hard slap on the bare bottom of each pledge as she passed by.
The pledges had a surprise waiting for them as they re-entered the sitting room. The Tri-Alpha vice-president and President Alexandra's two shower attendants were standing quietly next to two medical examination tables. All three men were naked and the two shower attendants were blindfolded. Their hands had not been restrained, because they were not being punished. Instead Alexandra's assistants were to serve as examination subjects for the late afternoon class, which was titled "Male sexuality and the male reproductive system." Heather explained the reason why they were blindfolded was to encourage the pledges to concentrate on their bodies, and not worry about any emotional interaction.
The pledges knelt and the class began. While Heather spoke about male anatomy, Tracy used a large flipchart to show her students various medical diagrams. The pledges frantically wrote down technical terms and vocabulary, which they knew would be needed for the upcoming examination and practical exercise.
Heather went over various male medical conditions and what to look for when checking for signs of venereal disease. As she put it: