Chapter 8: Fall Term of Graduate school

When the term started for the fall semester of graduate school, I thought I would have to look for a part time position somewhere to help pay for school. To my surprise and the input of Lt. Barnes I was granted a part time position as a support person. My job was to continue to refine the database and teach the officers in charge of the evidence room how to use the computer system. I was really grateful that Lt Barnes took a liking to me even though he didn’t show it. I see him around and I would say hello and he would acknowledge me with a grunt.

Every once in a while I would ask him how the case was any further along. His reply was always the same. “When we make an arrest in this one you will be the first to know.”

He may sound in indifferent but I think he was just as frustrated as I was. Homicide cops do not like the idea of having an unsolved case on their books. It made them look like they weren’t doing their jobs.

The second weekend school was in session I decided I was caught up on reading and didn’t have any papers hanging over my head I would attend a football at the old school. I was no longer a student but had become an alumni. Things just felt different even though I did everything as I did when I was a student. I went to the Frat house and walked to the stadium with guys as I always had done. Sat in the same block of frat jerseys as I had before. The only thing that was different was now I didn’t show a student ID to get in I had to pay admission.

The game was fairly boring neither team seemed to want to put any points on the scoreboard. When I get bored I people watch. I was looking around and there staring right back at me was Ginny B. Only this time there the look was scary. She was the predator and I was her prey. I looked away and tried to concentrate on the game. Every once in a while I would sneak a peek over her way and she was watching my every move. By half time I had had enough and got up to leave. Instead of going down the steps and exiting the stadium by the normal way, I decided to go up to the top of the bleachers. To the left of the press box was a winding ramp that would take you to the concourse and the exits. I decided this may be the best way out and to avoid a confrontation with Ginny B.

However it wasn’t in the cards just as I got to the concourse some one grab my arm and literally spun me around. As I had said before I am no little person and generally it would take some one of some physical stature to spin me around like that.

“Why didn’t you call me to let me know you would be here for the game? I would have sat with you.” an all too familiar voice asked. “I had hoped you would have more free time for us now that you have graduated.”

“Ginny, we are no longer a couple. We don’t have any claim over the other. Go find yourself a nice college frat boy to drive insane. I am sure there are plenty here on campus who would jump at the chance to be with you.”I responded snarkily. “We have had this conversation before and I really want to move on. Have a nice life Ginny and please leave me be.”

As I walked away from her I could see tears forming in her eyes but her face didn’t show sadness but rage. I picked up my pace and put as much distance between us as quickly as I could.

For the rest of that semester I stayed away from home football games. I missed homecoming and spending time with my fellow alums. I had hoped to compare how life after college was going for everyone but with Ginny B being near by I thought it would be best to stay away. Hopefully given time I had hoped she would give up her obsession and move on.

A few weeks later after my morning class at the state university I was clocking in at work when the Desk Sergeant came by and dropped off an envelope to me. “Some really cute coed dropped this off this morning.” he winked. “She sure was a looker, And from talking to her I gather she has it bad for you. I wish I was that lucky when I was younger.”

I cringed I recognized the handwriting. I was so tempted to just toss it into the trash can but the sergeant was hanging around waiting for me to open it and share its message with him I guess. So I thanked him for bringing it back to me and I promised him he would have the first invitation if I ever decided to pop the question to her. He just smiled and turned and walked back to his desk out front. At least I didn’t have to be embarrassed by him reading over my shoulder as to what ever crazy rant she wrote this time.

When I got back to my desk in the evidence area, I decided to open the envelope to see what craziness she had written this time. I was in the wrong career path I should have been a psychic. Just as I had predicted it was a doozy. I had embarrassed her and humiliated her in front of her friends by ignoring her at the game a few weeks back. My walking away and leaving her standing at the exit was the ultimate insult she wrote. She would make me pay for my humiliation of her. She closed the card with her usual “YOU BELONG TO ME.” in all caps. I just shook my head and got busy. I had a deadline to meet and wasting time reading the note didn’t make it easier.

Once coming back from the grocery store I stopped at a traffic light near my apartment. I looked over towards the curb lane to admire a couple of very cute girls on bicycles waiting for the light to change. As I swept over the bunch to check them out, I noticed the leader of the pack as no one other then Ginny B. Instead of going directly back to my apartment I continued on out of town and circled back in to town a half hour later. I carefully made my way back to the apartment through alleys and back streets. I carefully did a 360 to see if I could see any bicyclists near by. Detecting none I pulled into the drive and pulled my car into the garage. I closed the garage door, something I rarely did. I hoped she didn’t recognize me driving my car. As a graduation gift from college my parents had gotten me a new used car. I received it after school was out and as far as I knew she didn’t know about it. I wasn’t taking any chances. I also decided that when the lease was up on the apartment I would be moving to a new location. I still had eight months on this one so when it was up I was moving.

For the rest of that semester and the next I stayed away from the fraternity house and any other location where Ginny B. may be. I was bored for the most part cause all my old haunts were not safe as far as I was concerned. I tried to socialize with the people that were in my graduate program. For the most part they were nice enough but to be totally honest statisticians and social scientists were as much of party animals as a room of morticians. Talk to the them about mean, medium, mode or standard deviation and you would have a lively discussion. Discuss anything else and you may as well be talking to a fence. They were numbers people not people persons. So it was a lonely time for me.

Chapter 9 Spring Semester and Persona Non Grata

After spring break, I decided enough water had passed under the bridge and decided to pay a visit to the frat house to see how my former college buddies were doing. It was during Greek Games I decided to visit. This was usually the highlight of the spring semester and was a time for frat guys to let off some steam after being cooped inside for most of the winter.

Instead of driving my car I decided to ride my bike. Along with being a means of transportation it was good exercise, The previous months I had spent my time sitting way to much and eating to many meals at fast food joints and had put on a few extra pounds. I rode up to the back of the house to the parking lot and was greeted by my younger frat brothers. Comments like where have you been and look what the cat dragged in were common. My comment back was, “Yeah I am glad to see you too.”

I walked over to the kegs to pour a beer where I noticed my presence made some of the girls who hung around the frat house uneasy. I wasn’t sure what that was all about so I thought the less said the better. I walked over to talk to my fraternity little brother and greeted him. His girl friend was with him and I saw right away something was wrong and that she motioned with her eyes for me to follow her. She walked over to the other side of the parking lot near the basketball hoop and sat down on the retaining wall. I waited a few seconds and indirectly headed in that direction. I sat down near her and took a sip of my beer. “Whats up?” I asked. Looking around in general direction just taking in the whole festive atmosphere.

“Be careful what you say and do while you are here.” she warned me. “Word is out that you are dangerous and abusive towards women.”

“What?” I said incredulously. “Angie you know me. I have been around you for three years. Shoot. I have walked you back to your dorm several times when Romeo over there was passed out from drinking in excess. Who would say such a thing? I have always treated girls with respect and have never tried anything with anybody.” Then it dawned on me, Ginny B. She said she would make me pay.

“Was it Ginny B.?” I asked. “She spreading crap and making me look like a potential rapist or something.”

“Yeah, it was something all right” she responded. “Just be careful and don’t be in a room alone with any female. I don’t want to help bail you out.”

When it was close to dinner time I helped dig out the charcoal grill and set it up. I made myself busy and active so no one could say I was lurking around. I even volunteered to help man the grill so the other guys could go eat with their girlfriends or dates.

After dinner I helped clean up and put the grill away. I was shooting hoops with a couple of the new guys who I hadn’t met since they joined this past year. I was getting into the game and was getting my outside shot back when I looked over and saw Ginny B. standing there watching me with a scowl on her face. I tried my best to ignore her. For a couple of shots I even missed the backboard, pure air ball.

It was getting dark and some of the guys decided to bring out the house’s stereo system and set it up so they could have an informal dance. I decided to help with the positioning of the speakers and to stay away from the girls so I couldn’t be accused of anything. Plus I was planning on leaving soon so I could get back home before it got too dark.

I grabbed my last beer for the night and was slowly nursing it when I looked over and saw Ginny B. in a clench with one of the new guys. They were going at it hot and heavy. When I could I would warn him to be careful that there was more to her than what met the eye. Between bouts of tongue wrestling with her new guy, Ginny B, would look over at me to see if I was looking. I tried to remain neutral and indifferent. Was not going to give her the satisfaction in knowing it bothered me, which it did.

While I was sitting on the wall one of buddies came over and sat down beside me. “You know she loves you.” he said. “She still has it bad for you, you know.”

“She is sure showing it right now getting familiar with the new guy’s tonsils.” I laughed. “I don’t recall ever seeing saying I love you quite in that way before.”