This is a simple edit to add the acknowledgment of the efforts of two editors on this story. This is the first story for which I have used Volunteer Editors and in my excitement of submission, I forgot to thank them.
Sidekick and Holly GoLightly were absolutely necessary for the publication of this story. They helped on editing and getting me to understand the submission criteria successfully. Thank you very much.
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Wednesday, February 4
"This is just fucking nuts."
"You starting to talk to yourself Dave?" my roommate Jon laughed.
"It's already February. Two thirds of my Freshman year here at Michigan is history. Everyone knows that Freshman year is 'the mating season'. I am wasting it. I still have my V card. Fuck."
"Dave, you still have your 'Haven't been on a date' card. I am telling you just go to a mixer and keep asking girls until one says yes."
"I've been to two mixers, you dragged me there, remember?"
"And you watched the dance floor from the sidelines. I brought a girl back to introduce to you and you were already gone. Out the door. You can't be this shy and have a life. You're not bad looking. Just jump in the middle of the lake. You are a smart guy, you will figure out how to swim. I gotta go man. I have econ. Just jump bro'."
With that Jon picked up his backpack and shut the door.
It's easy for Jon to say that. Jon Williams is 6'1", was swim team at his high school last year and looks like a Greek god. John is my BCF, Best College Friend, as we first met when we were assigned to share a room in Baits dorm. Jon is from Chicago.
But back to his way with girls. First semester he had so many girls back in our room that I didn't know what color the doorknob was. There was always a sock on it. Plenty of different girls. It seemed effortless for Jon.
But he is really a nice guy. Even the girls that fell out of his rotation still said nice things about him. I had classes with a few and they said they always had a great time, that Jon was a great guy. A few of them told me he was also great in the sack. TMI.
But back to my problem. I, David Gordon, want what everyone else has. But how? I was so shy I didn't even date in high school. Everyone at my school , even the AP Math geeks, dated, went to the prom, and got laid. Why don't I date? I don't look too bad and I am not fat. I got my looks from my mom's side of the family (thank god), although they were diluted from her Icelandic/Irish mix heritage by my dad's family which seemed to have come from under a bridge. My dad was the best looking guy in his family and he still made Sheldon Cooper look like Thor. But Dad is a brilliant man and a gentle soul. He and Mom were high school sweethearts and married in college. I, their only child, was born just after graduation. Mom got a job in pharmaceutical sales and put Dad through medical school here at Michigan. He is now the leading dermatologist in Ann Arbor.
Why can't I start dating? I am never going to get laid. I am never going to have a One Night Stand.
The fabled One Night Stand. What would that even feel like? I just meet a girl, take her to bed and walk away? No date, just a night of raw sex and never look back. How in the world would I find a girl that would join me in a One Night Stand?
Just take out an ad? As if.
Wait...OK... If I am going to jump in the middle of the lake, let's do a cannonball.
There is an alternative weekly published online in our college town of Ann Arbor, The Omega. It has stories for the huge Michigan college crowd - music concerts, hot fashions, sex tips, anything and everything a twenty year old college student would want to read about. It also has a Classified section. It's 'No Holds Barred' and the ads get really wild. The Omega is out on Friday at noon, so everyone can find out what to do on the weekend.
I pulled up the site on my laptop. Twenty dollars per issue for a 350 character ad. Submissions need to be in by midnight, Wednesday night. That was today, and it's only two o'clock. Plus Saturday after next is Valentine's Day so this is the the week before Valentines edition. Everyone will be trying to figure out what to do for V-Day and reading the Omega. I am so going to do this.
First off, the security. The Omega acts as an anonymity barrier, like with Craigslist. But I created a new email just for this. That way I can put a different ringtone on the Omega-Ad email inbox, so I know to respond quickly.
That done, I need an ad. I worked for two hours and finally had it.
Wanted One Night Stand.
VSM, 18, 5'11" BMI 22.5 average or better looks, is looking for Female, 18-45, BMI 22.5 or less, average or better looks. Object, a One Night Stand. Just one casual night out with casual fun, casual sex and then just memories. If interested please respond and I can give you more details.
- Hopeful Dave
I submitted the ad and paid the twenty bucks. I couldn't wait until Friday.
Friday, February 6 - 12:15 p.m.
This is GREAT. I am so excited. I wanted to look at my ad, but I thought I would jinx it, so I stayed away.
Friday, February 6 - 10:00 p.m.
This SUCKS. Jon was out at a party with one his current babes, Brandi. I was sitting out in the cold on a concrete bench in the Quad. I waited and waited for an email in my room. Nothing. Not one. I hadn't told Jon about the ad. That was a good thing. I would have been humiliated. I finally got tired of waiting and ventured out in the snow walking blindly.
Saturday, February 7 - 10 p.m.
This is EMBARRASING. Everyone is out for Saturday Night and I am in the library, trying to study to pass the time.
Sunday, February 8 - 10 p.m.
This is DEPRESSING. How lame can I possibly be? Not one response. I need to do something different in my life. I don't want to go back to my dorm. I don't want to go to class tomorrow. I am down in the basement of the English Bldg, next to the boilers, sitting on the concrete floor. It's warm and cozy. I am just going to stay here tonight.
Monday, February 9 - 9:37 a.m.
This is EXCITING. My special alert went off on my phone. I have an email. I quickly open it up and read.
Dear Mr. Gordon,
The Omega staff is very sorry, but your ad placed last week did not get inserted into our Classified section for last Friday's issue. Your submission was not in fault, it was a clerical error on our side.
To make up for our error, we are refunding your twenty dollars and placing your ad first in next Friday's Classifieds.
Again, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Asst. Editor,
Stacey Hildebrandt
Fuck. Well last weekend was painful, but at least it was an error. I hope I don't do it again this weekend.
Friday, February 13 - 11:57 a.m.
This is NERVE WRACKING. I am so nervous. Much more so than last week. I am going over to Commons to get lunch, just to take my mind off things. I am not sure I can eat.
Friday, February 13 - 12:24 p.m.
This is AMAZING. I was getting dinner in Commons and my phone just chirped the special alert while I was in line with my tray. I can't wait to get to a table and check the email. This fucking line needs to MOVE.
I got to a table and read the email.
Dear Delightful Dave,
I am surprised and pleased by your ad. I have always fantasized about a One Night Stand, but I was out of the dating pool early and never did it . How creative to simply advertise. Life is sales. I assume VSM means virgin straight male. I have a little more experience than you, but everyone starts at zero. No problem.