NOVEL SIMPLE Finishing the day
I moved my way to the cafeteria and some small amount of dread filled my chest. Jose’s warning about the food being bad filled my mind and I hoped it wasn’t as dreadful as he was implying. As I entered the line I made sure I had my wallet in my pocket and scanned the room for any sign of Greg, or anyone I could have a meal with. I spotted Jose and Greg sitting and talking to one another. It was really easy to spot Jose and the rest of the powerlifters as their bulk was very apparent.
As I got to the trays I grabbed one and looked down the line of the food. The smells though were already unpleasant and I was not looking forward to it all. I could see pre wrapped sandwiches, piles of chunky mashed potatoes, and fruit cocktails in jello. I wondered what kind of diet I could follow with this kind of food and started to sweat . I would just have to pack my own lean protein foods and snacks. If I wanted to eat this I would need to up my cardio quite a high amount in order to burn off this food.
I grabbed a premade sandwich and one of the apples I saw piled around, and finally a bottle of water. Thankfully it was cheap and affordable. I turned and walked through the tables until I was standing next to Jose and Greg, “Hey guys, can I sit with you?”
Jose patted the seat next to him and Greg seemed engrossed in a rambling monologue about something in his chemistry class. Jose eyed my food with a frown, “Hey man. That is not a lot of food. If you’re cutting you should be doing chicken rice and broccoli. Thankfully I am always on the bulk plan.”
I sat gingerly on my backside, all the sitting I had done today was starting to be really uncomfortable. At least when I was sitting next to Wendy I was so distracted by her presence that I barely felt the throbbing pain. “Well, I’m pretty sure I need to go to the store and load up on more groceries. I should be able to make a meal plan later.”
I looked at Greg as his eyes seemed unfocused thinking about class. “Greg? Earth to Greg!” I snapped my fingers at him pulling him from his thoughts.
“Oh hey! Welcome to the Kennedy table Tim. Did you figure out what you’re going to make for dinner?” His smile was warm and genial. I knew he was much older than us but there seemed to be some youthful friendliness that radiated off of him.
“Yeah, and we have a guest so you’ll need to buy for three. I made a list on my phone of what I’ll need, can you give me your number so that I can text it to you?” I pulled out my older phone as the two looked at it.
“That’s quite the older iPhone. Don’t you want to upgrade to a new one?” Jose chimed as he pulled his own phone out showing it off.
Greg produced his own samsung and wiggled it at me, “You should switch to Samsung, it is much better quality. Plus it doesn’t have that planned obsolescence.” Greg then started to tell me his number as I quickly typed it up and added him to my contacts. I realized I didn’t know his last name and I decided I would nickname him, ‘Greg Study King’. His notes having impressed me so much.
I copy pasted my list and texted it to him. The green bubble popping up since it wasn’t the far superior iMessage. “There we go Greg. Don’t forget we have a guest ok?”
Jose nudged me with his shoulder, “Who is this mysterious stranger?” He opened his own tupperware and the large pile of diced steak, potatoes, carrots, all mixed together and swimming in gravy over a heap of rice. I looked at it and easily it was over twelve hundred calories for the massive man.
“Just a classmate, we have a little competition on whose notes are going to be better. She is pretty nice,” I slowly opened the sandwich and bit into the bland ham and cheese sandwich with far too much mayo and crunchy flavorless lettuce.
“Oooh, a lady huh? Gonna put some moves on her? What’s her name?” Jose seemed enthusiastic about a guest in the dorms.
“Nunya,” I responded as I ate my sandwich in defiance of his probing. “If you want to know her you gotta meet her yourself. Bring some of your own food. I don't want to bankrupt Greg with all the meals.”
“Nah, I gotta pump tonight with the guys. We have a competition coming up and I gotta make sure to place high, I have the reputation of the whole campus on my shoulders.” He flexed and grunted as he struck a couple strongman poses. I watched his rippling muscles with hunger in my gut. Derrick had never done much working out and was just as whipcord thin as I was. Maybe my dad was right and it was time to be a little wild in life.
“Well your loss. You’ll have to meet her another time. I think she is going to be a pretty great study buddy. It is always a little easier to learn with a friend.” I choked down my sandwich and picked up the apple, inspecting it for flaws. “I never asked what your major is Jose, I know Greg just is here to soak up knowledge, like a weirdo.”
“I’m studying for Personal Training and Nutrition studies, I’ve seen so many injuries on the competition floor that I want to make sure and be able to help those in need. Plus I’m strong enough to help anyone really stretch themselves out.” Jose interrupted himself with a spoonful of his grand meal. Then with a full mouth and less manners, “What about you Tim?”
“Computer science, I want to work in the technology sector. I’ve always been good with programming and even built my own computer in the fifth grade.” I took a bite of the apple and the sweet juices flowed into my mouth as it had just the right amount of crunch to it. The red skin giving way to my teeth as I chewed slowly and deliberately enjoying and savoring the palate cleanser after the crappy sandwich.
“Nerd,” Jose joked as he finished his meal. Then he reached out and flicked Greg on the forehead, “Don’t forget to eat Greg, you’re ignoring your food. You know how spacey you get when you don’t eat.”
Greg looked annoyed, “I have been eating…” As we both looked at his untouched plate with our eyebrows raised. Jose and I were in sync for a moment as we collectively shamed him into starting to eat. “Well, I thought I was,” He said through a mouthful as he defiantly shoveled the sub par food into his mouth.
I sighed as I looked at Greg and finished my apple. I both wanted Wendy to be in the rest of my classes but doubted she was in the computer science courses, but also wanted her not to be there as it was getting harder and harder to focus on class.
I stretched with a groan and excused myself to a private bathroom and slipped into a stall to apply more aloe to my backside. I would have to look in the mirror and see if this was helping at all. I should have got a pain relief cream or something. I put my tray away and sipped my water. The cool sensation of it sliding down my parched throat as I looked across the campus. A small trail led off into a little wooded area near the back of the campus. I could see a dozen green houses that I wondered if some botany classes used at some point.
I decided to spend the rest of my life exploring the campus. There was so much that wasn’t in the tour when I was first scouted to join the college. There seemed to be something for everyone in this massive college. Dozens of course specialties being encapsulated in different areas. I promised myself that I would turn in my application later today and see if I could get a part time job. I hustled as soon as my alarm went off reminding me to get to my first class in the afternoon.
I arrived at a class in a kind of dark corner of campus. The air was heavily air conditioned as I found my next class. The chalkboard was covered with a diagram of a circuit. A ladder nearby propped a skinny whipcord man as he scribbled more and more words on the board before class started. I sat with a sigh as the cold seat cupped me. I pulled out another notebook to make sure that my notes would be isolated by category. I kept an eye on the door as more and more people filed into the classroom. Each one I hoped and worried would be Wendy. Alas though she didn’t show up and it seemed our lessons diverged at this point.
Oh well, I’ll see her later.
“Ok class, listen up! I am professor Wesson, your guide into the intricacy of circuitry and the hearts and minds of a computer. We will be covering many different parts of how to build the logic circuits and you will even be making your own parts for your final. We will be splitting our time between lectures and lab work. If you waste our resources I will flunk you! So be careful, and work hard!” His arms were animated as he talked and pointed at several people as he warned us at the end. His nervous energy radiated off of him as he began to go over the wonders that were computer circuits.
At the end of the day I was waving my hand back and forth to loosen my wrist. I had been scribbling non stop all day and I wondered if I should just adopt taking notes on a computer, or recording the lectures so that I could listen to them again if anything came to mind.
I pulled my application out of my pocket and made my way to Quick-E Mart and talked to a very bored man who was half interested in taking my application and giving it to the manager in the back. Finally done for the day I headed back to my new home.
Time to make dinner.