I first saw her while I was registering for my second semester at the local college. I had not seen the business end of a classroom in years. I was able to go back because I had quit my job just before finding out that I had caner of the lung and for the first time in my life I felt totally in control of my future. I went the traditional route of working, marrying and having a kid…the whole nine yards. After the marriage failed and we divorced, she moved back to the left coast to be nearer to her parents. What was left an enormous whole in my heart. I wouldn't be able to see my son on a regular basis. I was truly in a vacuum with directly opposing emotions. I wouldn't have a relationship with my son, or a relationship with a good woman. However, I damn sure was optimistic about going back to school and nurturing a career of my choosing, not dreading going to work at a job out of necessity of the almighty dollar. However I digress.
She was in front of me but seeing her from behind was enough to get my motor jump-started. She was about 5'5 or 5'6" and I guessed her weight to be about 110 lbs. soaking wet. Blonde and without ever touching her, I just knew it was as soft as rabbit fur. I was daydreaming about her while waiting to register. You know what I mean, not sexual dreams but the kind of dream that tells you that the woman in front of you looks beautiful without seeing her face. Christ, I was imagining a lot without direct knowledge of her looks or her soft skin or of her hair but I was going to do my damnedest to find out about her. I had seen her around campus a few times. Usually with the same jerk no less. I had seen them holding hands so I assumed that they were a couple. He looked to be the kind of jerk that acts like a tough guy but when push came to shove in the literal sense then he'd fold like wet cardboard. Don't get me wrong here, I'm not the kind that looks for a confrontation but I sure won't back down from too many guys.
When I got close to the registrar's desk, I was pleasantly surprised to see a woman from my Algebra class last semester. Her name was Sally. She and I had studied together a couple of times before some tests. Nothing could develop from that because she was married and faithful. I wasn't ever going to put myself between a man and his wife. Never did it and never will. "The blonde", however, was another matter. She wasn't married and neither was I. That's a no-brainer as far as I was concerned. I pulled out a small pad and wrote a note to Sally. The note asked her for "The Blonde's" name. When it was my turn Sally just looked at the note and wrote down Jessica. And passed it back to me and then tended to her duties but with a smile.
I then wrote a quick note asking her if Jessica was going to take any writing courses. Sally read the note and then passed it back again with Jessica's English Lit course name, room number and days of classes. I quickly checked my prospective course and oh man I was free. I then had Sally to redo my schedule and to sign me up for Jessica's literature class. After she completed my registration she wished me luck and asked me to meet her for lunch sometime. Sounded good to me and told her that I'd love to. We both had smiles when I went on my merry way. On the way to the parking lot I saw Jessica leaving the building and start toward the garage, as well. If I timed things right, I could reach my bike just as she would walk past and notice that I rode a Sportster. Harleys are a chick magnet. I learned that years ago and never forgot it, it wasn't the main reason that I liked to ride.
Well for the first time in a while things were going my way. I started the bike and hit the gas a couple of times to make sure that she saw me. I let the scooter warm up as she walked by and flashed me a big smile. Riding home I thought that I would have to be lucky and time things right when class began. If I arrived too early she would choose her seat, and the way my luck was going recently her seat would be on the other side of the room. That meant that I would have to finagle seating arrangements for the next class. If, however, I got there too late someone else would be sitting next to her. Neither scenario was good for me. I'd have to roll the dice and try to time it just right.
When the day of our Lit class arrived I rode my bike to school. I figured that I'd use every advantage that I could. I sauntered in about 3 minutes early and coolly scanned the room. Yep, she was there and nobody was sitting on her left side. Without rushing I went and sat down next to her. When I was seated I calmly looked around as if it was the first time that I noticed anybody. In reality my heart was about to pound it's way through my ribs. When I looked at her, she smiled and said hello. I tried to appear friendly but aloof. I did not want to screw this chance up. Just then the professor strolled in and got right down to business. She handed out a syllabus and told us what she expected from us. I didn't get a chance to talk to Jessica until class was letting out.
As I walked for the door she paralleled me and as we got to the door she remarked that there was a lot of reading to be done and that she was carrying a full load and working a part time job that was close to full time. I said that there was a lot to read but that's why it's called English Literature. Damn, that was a big whiff for me and I saw it immediately on her face. I did manage to redeem myself, though by telling her that I had read some of the books already. No lie there…I've always loved to read. Nice save on my part. She smiled again and asked if we could get together for some of the books, especially the ones that I read. No problem, I told her as we left the class. I asked for her name as if I didn't already know it and then told her my name. She gave a little laugh because all of my friends call me Rum. She was playing it cool, too. So when I saw the customary question on her face, I told her that it was a long story and I'd tell her sometime when we both had some time. She said that she was going to the cafeteria for coffee and asked me if I'd like to join her. No classes for another hour and a half so I said that I'd love to. On the way we just made small talk.
After pouring and paying for the go-juice we sat down. The first thing she inquired was when my next class was scheduled. After I told her of my schedule for every Wednesday, she smiled as she said that she wanted to know the story behind my name. I smiled as I told her that my last name was a rather long French surname so the neighborhood kids shortened it to just the three first letters. When we started stealing our parents booze I took to rum right off. At one of the parties in the woods we got totally smashed. That's when one of my friends drunkenly slurred my name and it just came out as Rum. The name stuck but I had a hard convincing my parents that it was just a joke and a play on words. She mentioned that she saw me get on my scooter and would love a ride sometime. I told her that I was game and mentioned that I would take her if it was on a date. A slight smile played on her lips and she said that yeah, she would like that.
Over the next week we kept bumping into each other and I asked her if She wanted to go out for the coming weekend. I got an enthusiastic yes…as long as we went out on the bike. No problem there, I said. Nothing fancy, just jeans, a few beers and some pool with some of my friends and their wives. She liked the idea so we finalized our plans. I was in a constant state of euphoria, don'tcha know. Two days until game time and I was high already.
Saturday night rolled around in it's own sweet time but we finally hooked up. I arrived at her apartment and met her roomies and left. When we got to the bike I made her familiar with the concept of leaning into a turn. I also made her wear a full-face helmet. I don't think she cared too much for that but I told her that when riding became more familiar to her we would dispense with the brain bucket. My circle of friends and I referred to the place as "the hall". It's just what we called it. It wasn't a dive but it was a casual place. Comfortable, you know? We shot pool in teams. Men and their wives or "significant others" would be teamed. That last part was for our benefit. Jessica and I took it in the spirit that was intended and we all laughed. That set the tone for the whole night at the pool hall. We were regulars at the pool hall so we just played and swapped lies all around. What a night! The wives took a liking to her right away and she seemed to like everybody, as well.
Even Old Man Sweeney joined in the banter. Hell, he ran the place and Sweeney and Jessica just kind of took together, sort of a mutual admiration society. We've all known Sweeney for years. It started out a just a bunch of kids that liked to play pool and never abused the place or the owner. For that respect he's always allowed us to play there and even sometimes when we were broke he'd let us play freebies. As the circle grew to include girlfriends and wives, Sweeney would introduce himself as Sweeney. None of the other regulars were allowed to call him that and if they did he corrected them by telling them to call him Jim or Mr. Sweeney. If they asked why we called him Sweeney, he'd tell them that name was reserved for family or very close friends. Hell, his wife Lana called him Sweeney before she died. We were all at Lana's funeral in fact we were almost the only ones there. There was history with this man and mutual respect going back to our discovery years. We discovered girls and booze and cigarettes and even some "soft" drugs. He was our brother at times, our fathers at other times, our confidant and our lecturer. More than a few of us were taken to task by Old Man Sweeney and once or twice by his wife. They always extended that relationship to our girlfriends, too.