The Last Day

Damn, I'm sweating. The Virginia humidity is getting to me as I pack and move various items out to the car. Today we vacate the dorms, and hit the road to Abingdon, VA. This weekend has been weird. Most everyone moved out on Friday except for me, Lisa, Gloria, Roberta, Rebecca, Laurie and Deborah. We are the last dorm residents standing. We have been gathering downstairs in our social area at night drinking wine, reflecting on our experiences and generally shooting the shit, as they say.

I realized this weekend that regardless of women's ages (and of the group mentioned above our ages range from 38 to 55)we still talk about menstruation and when that first began. Funny that. And we also get excited about basic life things like dating and romance. You see, this weekend, Rebecca asked the Ferrum librarian, George (a really cool guy) out on a date. He accepted, and they went to Roanoke last night. The rest of us sat around wondering how the date was going, when they would return, and of course, if they had had sex or not. We even jokingly said we were going to stay up until she returned, but after waiting until 2:30 a.m. we decided to give up and go to bed. We did put post it note on the door to tell her that we were waiting on her, but gave up. Funny that the note was still on the door this morning. hmmm. Does that mean Rebecca didn't come home last night, or just came home really, really late. So far, she's not saying. But, she is riding with me to Abingdon so the details of the date may, indeed, emerge.

The rest of us were thrilled, and admitted that we were living vicariously through Rebecca since some of us are in long term relationships, while others just haven't had dates in a long, long time. We all had forgotten what it was like to go out on a date with someone you don't know - those mixed emotions of anxiety and eagerness hoping that it goes well. The only thing Rebecca did say was that they went to an Indian restaurant, and up to The Star, a huge lighted star that towers above the city of Roanoke. People go up there for the view, and the star. She did say that it was bittersweet because she really liked George (even more than her first husband, and she married him) but she had to leave soon to go back to Oregon.

Anyway, menstruation, the summer institute, books, and Rebecca's date were the subjects on conversation this weekend.

Time to finish packing.

jb