Something on Buck’s blog reminded me of this story, but it was too long to leave on his comments. I thought it would make a funny post:
My big brother, Craig, and I went off to Texas Tech together in the fall of 1976. He had one year at TT, but I was a freshman. Since Craig was an old pro at college life, he helped me move into my dorm. It was in an older dorm with a big yard to cross from the parking lot. I was also on the third floor and there was no elevator. I was thankful for Craig’s help. This was back in the day when a young man visiting the girl’s dorm had to check in at the office. Craig and I walked up to the office window. The girl behind the desk never looked up from whatever she was doing, but in a bored voice said, "Names?" Craig answered, "Joe Namath and Willie Nelson." I still remember the look she gave Craig and the tone of voice (very irritated) when she said, "No, real names!" Craig looked very innocent as he gave her the, "You didn’t say that" and then gave our real names.
The girl behind the desk, Cheri Cramer, was one of the RA’s in my dorm, and we became good friends. I remember lots of fun times in her room which had a balcony. She dated one of Craig’s roommates (Lord knows why anyone would date such an a-hole, but she did). Craig’s roommates were always those intelligent debate team type guys – the ones that thought they were smarter and better than everyone else and went on to become politicians. Craig did have friends who were more interesting and fun and much smarter than his liberal roommates. Toby was one of them. In intelligence and common sense, Toby could run circles around those guys. Craig recognized this, but being snobby politician sorts, Craig' debate buddies never paid attention to Toby or anyone else that they deemed beneath them or not useful. Toby spoke in a slow West Texas drawl and was a wild ruffian. He could also fix your car, drink you under the table, kick your butt if you needed it, and make a 4.0 GPA in accounting/business. I was impressed from the first moment I laid eyes on him. His yellow Camero was nice too.
I always wondered what happened to my friend Cheri. Maybe since I posted her maiden name, she will google it someday and find me.
5 comments:
"I was impressed from the first moment I laid eyes on him."
And from the sound of it...you still are...and THAT is a VERY good thing. Obviously, you had some pretty good sense at that critical time in your life too. We all make good decisions sometimes...you made yours...i made mine. And we are both VERY blessed for the wisdom we used at that time.
Hey! I was a debate team kinda guy, but only in high school, and only in my senior year (I fell into it by accident... long story). I won enough to get a partial scholarship to Redlands University in SoCal (and set a North HS school record for wins, in the process), but not enough to get a "full ride." So I went in the AF, instead. And I eventually got over the debate team stigma, too. Well, sorta. ;-)
Buck, I can see you as a debater, and probably a good one at that. I was never on the debate team, but I was pretty good at debating - lots of practice with my brother. The only debater I ever dated was the son of a retired Army man.
Piper, I was impressed - the stories I could tell you about Toby in those days...
I'm guessing Cheri's was that same old story: married a politician, then divorced him, moved to Idaho and had a sex change operation -- now goes by the name Lester. (Then again, I could be wrong.)
Toby sounds great. Lucky you. Sort of the same story here, Gene was the guy that worked hard, had some money, partied hard and is so dependable and smart. Lucky me.
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