Part 25 (1/2)
”It was March, but it was pretty. The campus was really pretty.”
”I've always liked Mount Holyoke, in a general sort of way.”
”What does that mean?”
”G.o.d, I really must pee, Lenore.”
”You can pee in LaVache's room.”
”Oh, G.o.d, no! Rick, those shoes, still.”
”Pardon?”
”Those shoes. See those shoes, on those people? The boat shoes? With the leather shoe and white plastic sole?”
”Well, yes.”
”See those two girls and that guy? G.o.d, everybody's still wearing them out here. Boy do I hate those shoes.”
”They, umm, seem all right to me. They seem harmless enough.”
”I have what I'm sure is this totally irrational hatred for those shoes. I think a big reason is that everyone at school wore them with no socks.”
”Which meant that they weren't just wearing sneakers without socks, which would have been plenty repulsive enough, they were wearing nonsneakers without socks. Which is just incredibly ...”
”Unhygienic?”
”Make fun if you want, smart guy. You're the one who's dumb if you pay Dr. Jay all that money and then don't even listen to him. It's not just that it's unhygienic, it's downright sick. It stinks. At school, I can remember, I'd be sitting in my carrel, in the library, doing homework or something, minding my own business, and somebody would sit down in the next carrel, with those shoes, and then they'd take them off, off, and I'd all of a sudden be smelling somebody else's feet.” and I'd all of a sudden be smelling somebody else's feet.”
”Which did not smell good, let me tell you, from constantly being in shoes without socks. I mean I really think foot-smell should be a private thing, don't you?”
”What are you grinning at? Are those ridiculous feelings? Does that make no sense at all?”
”Lenore, it makes perfect sense. It's just that I'd never given the matter that much thought. Never much thought to the ... socio-ethics of foot-smell.”
”Now I can tell you're being sarcastic.”
”You completely misread me.”
”Is that why you always wear two pairs of socks? Under constant and invariable sneakers?”
”Partly. Partly because it's comfortable, too.”
”Stone Dorm, pal.”
”Which one of these is Stone?”
”The one we're right in front of, pal.”
”I see .... Lord am I stiff.”
”You want to just bolt right in and pee?”
”Rick?”
”I rather think not, now that the moment has arrived.”
”What does that mean? You did nothing but talk pee, in the car.”
”Have you the bags?”
”You know perfectly well they're in the trunk.”
”The question really meant, do you suppose you could manage getting them inside yourself, making absolutely sure to take my bag in, too, with my underwear and toothbrush and Old Spice and all essentials?”
”I suppose so, but I don't get it.”
”Meter's still running, ace.”
”I think with your permission I will simply leave you, here, for a bit. I feel emotions and feelings was.h.i.+ng over me that are perhaps best confronted alone.”
”What?”
”I'm going to go wander among the blasted crags of memory, for a while.”
”Pardon me?”
”I'm going to go take a look around.”
”Oh. Well, OK.”
”Till later, then.”
”You want to just come back here and meet me? We can check in at Howard Johnson's at five and then go to dinner?”
”Fine. Goodbye.”
”It's room 101, remember.”
”Righto. See you soon.”