Pretty Ugly

By Thomas James Whiting

First-time novelist Thomas James Whiting has recently been spending time tracking down a suitable genre for his just completed novel now that literary fiction's definition has undergone controversy over what should and should not be included in the arena that was once ruled by the synonym for literature. Whiting grew up in Weyerhaeuser, Wisconsin and vividly recalls the first description of literary fiction thrown his way…character-driven rather than plot-driven…that which examines the human condition. He left Weyerhaeuser over sixty years ago. Apparently, the driven metaphor is still working in his mind.
The clown car novel as a genre. There is no trick to the clown car gag. There are no trap doors in the sawdust floors. The cars are not only real but they are fully functional. Sure, all the interior stuff is removed and everything that can be taken out is taken out so that the clowns can be stuffed in. The windows are painted except for a small slot for the driver to see through. The reader who picks up Pretty Ugly is asked to drive slowly and only to the center of the ring. Everything that you have that makes you the person you are more than qualifies you to get everything that is gettable. A novel should be an encounter, the practice of participating. Whiting claims that all your experiences will make his novel better.
Pretty Ugly is a work of fiction that re-creates a social world, conveying with finely tuned observation the customs, values,

• Language: English
• Publisher: Whiting
• Release date: Aug 25, 2022
• ISBN: 9798986574714

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Margie

It was seventy-five days after the only Friday the thirteenth that yet-another Summer of Love would have, and Roy still had an idea with no plan on this the last Wednesday in August. He was using the center railing to steady himself as he looked for the hot dog vender who had demonstrated a great deal of situational awareness prior to Roy’s long-desired incursion into the Art Institute of Chicago. Roy wanted to watch attentively the vender’s behavior without the vender knowing that Roy was observing him. Careful consideration was unthwarted as the results of heedfulness swirled with the discarded hot dog wrappers in the Windy City.

"Possibly, it is the influence of Nighthawks," Roy was thinking about verity of acknowledgement. It was not disappointing, but it would have been if Roy had chosen to dwell on that particular demonstrance, instead of wondering what created the circumstances that resulted in the vender staring him down.

How could he have known when I would come out? Roy wondered what the likelihood of coincidence played but dropped the idea as there was nothing to compare with happenstance as an alternative explanation.

Thanks again for watching my suitcases while I was in the museum, Roy said less casually than the situation required. Which way to the interstate? he asked the vender who pointed by turning his entire body slightly.

You got money? the vender asked in a way that would be the least embarrassing for both of them. Roy was extremely impressed with the man and was unaware if there could be something acting as a necessary consequence of previously accepted statements or particularly astute perceptions that the two of them shared.

I am fine and thanks again, Roy spoke with a sense of urgency avoiding pomps, ceremonies and gesturings to the suitcases. It started to rain. It was time to go. The vendor must be one of those people who are aware that they are more than they are aware of, Roy thought as he walked away. My lucky day. There is something about rain that makes people who would never stop for a hitch-hiker stop when it is raining. The same kind of luck goes for the two suitcases. There is something about suitcases that coerces people, who would never normally stop for a hitch-hiker, to slam on the brakes. Several thoughts came to him as he walked away from the hot dog vender not the least pleasant of which was the offer of money; Roy could not resist a final glance over his shoulder to see the man who had stowed the suitcases without being asked, What a nice person.

The rain had stopped though the sky remained overcast making it darker than it would have customarily been at the current time of night in Madison so near September. After two rides from the interstate to the Capitol Square, Roy was now putting the finishing touches on his walk to 16 Langdon Street. One of the purposes of his stroll was to improve the darkness that was not to his preference, and another was to reactivate the self-acknowledgement of expertise as a hitch-hiker. The expert’s appraisal and valuation was his own discernment—skill and expertness surrendered for judgement and study. The rain clouds were gone, but darkness always takes its own time; Roy was refreshed using the adroitness that one acquires on the road. He had just turned off Wisconsin Avenue and was endeavouring to make himself look as inconspicuous as possible. The fact that he had no idea on specifically how to accomplish the self-imposed task left him undaunted. As he turned off the main sidewalk onto the concrete deliberately-planned-way that people on foot can use between the two rows of shrubs that lined the walkway to the front door, a light went on in the House. Roy was surprised, but in keeping with either his inconspicuousness or his undauntedness or both; he forged on.

One of the things that Roy found amusing about not having a plan was that a person on no occasion need bother about scrapping something that never existed. He took the no longer slightly raised walkway to the west side of the House and put his suitcases inside the latticed-sided, roofed structure that was home to the House’s garbage cans. He gave some thought to how the value of the suitcases changed from advantageous to detrimental over the course of his trip. They were certainly a liability at the museum as they were now, immeasurably helpful when hitch-hiking, however.

Now he would have to break into the House. Roy’s repute for housebreaking was like so many of the other parts of his reputation. When it was useful to Roy to be thought of as having certain skills, he took advantage of it, but most of the time he could only wonder how such ideas about him got started. Roy could get into the House or practically any other building on campus. Maintaining as he always did that it was not a break-in.

The unmistakable sound of a knock at the door startled Duke; he was deep in thought and under the impression that he was alone in the House. His first reaction was to doubt that it was a knock. He quickly talked himself out of that notion. He then diminished all doubts by opening the door and a new flood of issues that demanded his response were upon him. Fall Guy! Duke managed to get out with genuine surprise and only slightly less than his astonishment was his feeling of good fortune. Duke’s mind was overrun with ideas. He managed to offer his hand to Roy, and they shook hands. A tinge of startlement held firm—refusing to be budged from Duke’s eyes by a tentative smile which Roy took for warmth in greeting … perhaps occasioning Roy’s abrupt question.

Are you going somewhere? he asked as he walked toward the lone window, recently lighted, that did not seem as though it could possibly be the same window that he saw from between the shrubs. It was the best of all possible results for Roy, who had no idea who would be in the room. He did not know much about Duke, but what he did know pertained to Duke’s status as Phi Gamma Delta’s most renowned cheerleader.

As a matter of fact, I am in the process of getting ready to try out a club that I have heard is the place to go, Duke explained with less reluctance than he intended. These guys that I work with say that Jerkwater is the place to meet young women in Madison when college is not in session. How they know is sort of a mystery to me, but they came right out and challenged me to go there.

What form did the challenge take? asked Roy planning to make his own judgments on the matter though he realized that Duke would have to go into more detail which was likely.

They have their opinions that are not very flattering of young college men and fraternity members. I am not sure what I hope to accomplish by going there myself, but that is what I have decided to do, said Duke wavering as he spoke.

You do not have to bring back a lock of hair, do you? joked Roy, using the non sequitur remark to give Duke additional time to think about the situation.

He does not like to be asked questions; I have heard many people say that about Roy. I will not ask him questions, Duke was carefully going over in his mind what would be the best possible strategy, I want to have an informed opinion. That is what I hope to get out of this trip to Jerkwater, Duke spoke to an interested listener.

The name of the place is Jerkwater? Roy’s voice went up at the end so it was a question that Duke felt he should answer.

Yes. Duke said giving himself a moment before he continued, I do not see myself confronting the guys at work with anything that happens tonight. It is for the satisfaction that I think that it will afford me. The guys at work, with their misguided views of young college men and fraternities, be accursed, Duke smiled as he said, Come with me. It was out before he had stopped wondering where be accursed originated.

Give me a second to throw some water on this five o’clock shadow and I am good to go, said Roy leaving the room. Duke recounted without intermediary connection now, but he knew there would come a time that his spontaneous imperative would give him more wonder than pleasure which was all it was currently providing. Duke’s enthusiasm, the magnitude of which he dared not deliberate, concerning the prospects for the night not the least of which was that he was going out to a club with Roy only added to his afizzed state of mind.. If there was one person in the fraternity that Duke wanted to develop the kind of relationship that manifests a profundity of understanding and camaraderie; it was with Roy.

Duke was about as solidly built as a young man can be. He was strong, agile, and muscular; the perfect mesomorph if that particular body type is ever over six feet tall. It would be difficult to determine what athletic endeavor was applied to by his physique as strength and endurance are such a plus in any sport. His clothes were no clue. Most people dress like the sport they play, or they dress like the people who like a particular sport dress, or they dress like the people dress who would like to play a sport dress. Duke was wearing a tucked in light blue oxford shirt with a button-down collar. The cuff buttons had already been given the night off in favor of three-quarter length rolled up sleeves. The top button on the shirt would see no action without a tie. His beltless straight leg Levi’s were practically standard issue. He wore Adidas three-red-striped athletic shoes and white socks. When he was ready to go, he jumped in the air spun 360 degrees, and landed to his own ta-da! He was the oozed leather of athleticism.

The sign for Jerkwater was slightly off the ground on an incline and there were cars parked around it, which obscured the lower portion of most of the letters. The two young college men were perplexed by the parking arrangement of these several vehicles as there was ample parking in the lot behind the main building. Do they know something that we should know? asked Duke parking the car close to the others by the sign.

One wonders. Roy began, though expecting nothing in reply. When they got inside the club, Roy deferred to Duke, whose idea it was to hit this club in the first place. They stopped as close to the entrance as possible. Roy waited before he mentioned that they should find a better place to stand. It was during the obligatory getting familiar with the lay of the land that Roy was struck with all the force of, What was I thinking? he did not speak aloud. Thoughts were raising their hands in his head; there were questions that were going to be asked and those thoughts would be demanding answers to their questions. What if he hangs around you all night? You have never been out with him, who knows how he will act. What if he is creepy around young women? Duke interrupted Roy’s personal inquisition.

We should split-up for a while and get to know the big picture on our own then meet back here and report, Duke suggested matter-of-factly to such a degree that Roy could hardly believe it. There were still other issues, but the split-up was a ray of hope.

Good idea! Meet at the jukebox when you have something or someone to incriminate, Roy detailed briefly. Duke sauntered away. Roy turned his attention to Jerkwater. It was not only off-campus; it was a townee bar probably light heavy-weight division. It had a more than adequate dance floor and the music was loud. The place was not packed, but there were plenty of young people for a Wednesday night. It was difficult to say whether the dance floor was full or not; there always seems to be room for more dancers to squeeze in somewhere. A jukebox sat at the far eastern end of the hardwood surface just inside the railing that enclosed the dance floor. It appeared that providing music for the dancers, of whom most were young women, was of no concern to Mr. Wurlitzer as he gazed off into the distance; it was easy to watch the dancers without getting in the way. There were large tables near the back wall of the building and as one moved towards the dance floor the tables were smaller in size.

Roy observed the dancers for a while without making any harsh judgments pertaining to their ability. He thought that it was time to seek out Duke which would take a bit of strategy on his part to do correctly. Roy did not want to make it appear that he was looking for Duke. If there is anything so forlorn in a bar it is when someone is looking for someone. All I have to do is stand close to the jukebox and Duke will find me, Roy conspired confidently to himself.

Having just reached a comfortable position with optimum unrestricted theatre-in-the-round sight lines from nearly all of Jerkwater, Roy witnessed five young women swarming their way to the middle of the now dancer-crammed dance floor, and showing great savvy, began to spread out, giving themselves room where there appeared to be none. They were all dancing with each other or with no one, depending on how one looked at it. As they danced, the other people on the dance floor gave them more and more space. Most of the time when a dance floor is crowded, people are very reluctant to concede even the least bit of room to other dancers; it was not the case here at Jerkwater. In fact, some of the dancers stopped dancing to give the five young women more breathing room, generating a great percentage of the dance floor left to them, and one young woman in particular. She was using a prodigious portion of the floor to execute her dance, which involved her entire body, though at times, it also examined one simple aspect of movement, yet the dance seemed eager to incorporate repetition. Her body moved in a pure, unstructured inward-based otiosity of effort that left Roy bewitched. She had such an effect on him that he went outside to gather his thoughts. Once particularized, he headed back inside.

Roy could only guess how long he was outside trying to pull himself together. When he returned to the inside of the club, the situation on the dance floor was remarkably different. Gone were the five young women and most of the crowd of dancers, in their place were young people who were dancing in a much more conventional manner, if one were not including Duke. He was like a one-man acrobatic troupe. His partner, half in amazement and half in disbelief, was obviously enjoying herself as she watched Duke do various maneuvers involving great agility, quickness and courage. When the song ended Duke held both her hands and insisted that they dance again. As they awaited the next song, Duke caught Roy’s eye and they made a nonverbal agreement that more than likely involved meeting after the next dance.

Roy could hardly watch as Duke reprised his dance repertoire. At the end of the song, it looked as though Duke was about to leave his partner alone on the dance floor and rush to talk with Roy. A quick pantomime performed by Roy succeeded; Duke walked the young woman back to her table and then he returned.

You have to let me introduce you to the young women that I have met, Duke insisted not out of breath from physical activity which would have been understandable given the rugged athleticism of his dance style. Roy followed to near the back wall of the building where there was a large table and several young women and young men standing around it. Duke plopped Roy down in a chair then sat down next to Roy with the young woman that he had danced with to his right, Margie this is Roy; Roy this is Margie. Duke was flushed, probably from the eschaufing nature of the dance; his excitement level was still exceedingly high. It seemed that he wanted to say more but could not put it into words. The two newly introduced young people exchanged friendly hellos.

Who are the rest of your group? asked Roy to say something pleasant. Margie tried to get the attention of the other young women at the table, but she had little success. There were young men standing between seated young people and it was not conducive to getting someone’s attention.

There will be better times for introductions, besides, we have to go, Margie said with some authority. Come on you guys, we have to go, Margie repeated this time to the young women who were part of her group. Roy and Duke both gave her interested and puzzled looks to which she immediately responded, We have a curfew. There was confusion which always accompanies a group of people leaving at the same time. The young man who was standing to Roy’s left departed exposing to view the young woman who had bewitched Roy earlier. Not a word or so much as a glance had passed between them. Roy continued sitting while Duke walked Margie and her group to their car.

When they got back to the ΦΓΔ House Duke mentioned to Roy that he could sleep on the floor in his room. Roy was taking off his boots when Duke excused himself, I will be back in a moment, Duke informed as he left the room.

No hurry, replied Roy, wondering if there would be enough time in Duke’s absence to make a quick assessment of where he could go tomorrow, and how early he would need to leave. It was much longer than a moment and when Duke came back into the room, he was full of information.

Nelson had a room here on this floor over summer session and he had a phone; the phone is still connected. I just got off the line with Margie. They are all student nurses at St. Mary’s here in Madison. That is why they have a curfew; they live in a dorm. They have a few days off until their next term starts, it is not enough time to really go anywhere so they are hitting different clubs every night until their school starts again, Duke reported in word for word fashion. Roy was listening attentively. I asked Margie if she would like to go to Devil’s Lake tomorrow. Duke undertook to mentioned casually but his personal predilections soon became common knowledge. Roy was certain that Duke would apprise him of the situation.

How did she react? Roy’s curiosity was running neck and neck with his speculation. He purposely did not ask if she said yes.

I really have a lack of experience with young women, but I think that she was thrilled to be asked on a date by a young college man who is in a fraternity. It made me feel good to have asked her, Duke concluded to an extremely receptive audience of one.

That was very nice of you, Roy complimented Duke’s specific agreeably pleasant behavior, while arranging his own thoughts which were not to be voiced. To ask a young woman who is not in college nor in a sorority on the biggest cliché date Langdon Street has to offer is not very well thought out. Roy finally arranged the circumstances to which he was giving silent contemplation into the order that they worthily deserved. The new configuration left him with no viable options involving what he considered good sense. He did not know Duke well enough to tell him and almost did not know him too little to not refrain.

How would you like to take the young woman who was sitting to your left and join us on an excursion to Devil’s Lake? asked Duke, remarkably unaware of the circumstances.

That would be impossible. I did not even talk with her, there is no way I could ask her out, Roy asserted with more to say, which he was certain Duke sensed.

You do not have to ask. It has all been arranged; Margie has set it up, Duke explained, as it was obvious that he thought that he had done Roy a favor. Roy was reluctant to show anything short of appreciation. What Duke had done, as bad as it was, could not be undone without horrible behavior and that was not an option for Roy.

Does she know who I am? asked Roy wandering down his own critical path of thought.

Oh yes, she knows who you are, replied Duke with the smile that was going to annoy Roy limitless times the next day.

You and Margie cannot know of the dynamic of what has been created by what you have done! It is dangerously close to being a blind date but for one feature which is a deal breaker. Duke, I sat next to the young woman without speaking a word to her, and now, I find that you and Margie have conspired to make me look like a coward. That is what you have done. Blind date, who cares, I have gone on tons of blind dates, but not under circumstances that make me look like I was afraid to ask someone out, Roy ended his harangue with a non-standard punctuation. Hit the lights.

Under the normal run of things, Roy would have fallen asleep thinking about a dancer, a fabulous dancer. Instead, he speculated that Duke must have noticed the effect that a young woman had on a young man who was now the victim of well-meaning behavior.

CHAPTER 2

Devil’s Lake

We are to pick up the young women at seven and that should be easy as we are turning onto Delaplaine now," Duke mentioned, and preliminarily, for some unknown reason, he then leaned across the front seat from where he was sitting driver’s side to virtually thrust his head out the passenger side window. Roy thought it best not to comment. The young women were ready, and they were at the curb surrounded by provisions. Duke parked the VW Bug in such a way that he was trying to induce the young women to use the trunk. Roy remained in the car for as long as it seemed possible to demonstrate that he was not part of the gag. Roy apprehended immediately how the date was going to go.

Let me see just how much of this will fit up front, Duke spoke using the proper amount of social influence in which a young person can enlist the aid and support of others in accomplishing a common task. The rest can go on the back seat. Wow, you guys have out done yourselves, Duke complimented the young women. When everything that was at the curb was in the car, they were ready to dash. Janet got into the back seat from the passenger side as a great portion of the back seat was taken up by the picnic miscellany. As soon as Duke could catch Roy’s eye, he gave a look that practically said, ‘ooh-la-la!’ at how close to each other the two in the back seat would have to sit. Roy carefully got in and as he did, she let him see that she was looking at him. It was a nice touch on her part; he remembered that precise moment, and for the rest of the day he kept an unofficial total of all the things that she did that would probably make her a good nurse. He knew that it was bound to happen, so he did not want to seem impatient, but he had not heard her speak.

They departed with careful eschewance of any consultation of maps or of one another; their belief in the nonexistence of complexity involving the trip seemed strange to Roy, but not as outlandish as his unpremeditated staring at Janet. He was implementing an unplanned course of action, which could only be described as ogling, that would be impossible to explain if he were caught, which was a likelihood at any moment, given Janet’s complete control of becoming apparent to a person’s sight. To stave off embarrassment he did the first thing that occurred to him.

I have a question he sotted out. It startled everyone in the car, including Roy because his blurt did not change his generally lecherous gaze; it did cause Janet to look at him, and she not unpurposedly caught his eye. It was the first time he heard her speak.

Hi. It was the perfect precursor to the date. Roy was certain of the hapless course struck into by the two of them.

I did not get introduced to the others in your group last night, can you give me their names and a brief description so if I run into them, I will have some idea who they are. Roy was addressing no one in particular but he was surprised that Janet not only spoke in response but found humor in her avouchment.

The really good dancer was Janet; she looks almost exactly like me, Janet said, suppressing a laugh. The short one was Annie, Abby, and Sophie, Janet said as though it made perfect sense. And of course, you were introduced explicitly to Margie. We call her Mother Duluth; she is not quite Superior, said Janet in the way that some people have that makes them ever aware of the limits of teasing.

Are they all the same height? asked Duke going back as if he were stuck at cards. Margie was quick to answer.

They are indeed almost precisely the same height, but that is where the similarity ends, she spoke with the kind of joy in her voice which results from being part of a conversation. To have someone become aware of you is pleasing, but when they acknowledge or appreciate, a know-ingness just short of smug is then substantiated in compoundedness. Margie’s relationship with the superficial in manner and dress was that of the apparent only; she was not afraid of the insubstantial so she could deal with it. She was quite happy the way the date was going.

It is possible for wholly different people to have similar feelings that do not contribute to their overall serious consideration, whether in view or contemplation, when thinking deeply or carefully about a relationship. It is like the adaptation of two different types of animals to a similar habitat or niche, with the relationship as the environment. To be well-matched with the relationship is not the same as to be compatible with the person.

The two young women for various reasons, some shared, others not, found things quite pleasant; each was out with a young fraternity college man and there were favorable prospects for more fun as the date proceeded. Duke, who often gave the impression of being problematic in forgoing various intricacies or perplexities, was all amicableness. It was Roy for whom things were going rather badly as he estimated them. The only thing that he thought was not a dead loss was his positivity that not a single person knew. According to his complete and essentially unalterable system of objectives there had been a reshuffling; the idea, that Janet had agreed to go on a date and had accepted it in good faith compelled Roy to honor an agreement that he had no principle part in and go on the date, had been displaced , in a very linear way, from its place prior to all others in occurrence in the system, to such a degree that it was at the end of the tunnel where there is seldom a light. At the beginning of said tunnel was showing her a delightful time. That portion of the date, the beginning, had begun without the solicitous attention required.

How are you guys doing back there? asked Duke in his annoyingly childish boy-and-girl insinuative voice which implies that there are only certain few things that a boy-and-girl situation allows for. It was innocuous enough for all but Roy. It smacked of Duke’s commonplace, flat and mundane view of the essentials of light-heartedness.

The last thing that I want to be forced to do is to make the best of things, thought Roy. To answer Duke’s question, which still hung in the air Roy said, Is it cliched and tedious in here or is it just me? It got a mild laugh from all. What he did not say was "Make the best of things has a stench all its own."

We should play a game, Duke apparently had no limit to his energy nor suggestivity.

How about charades? Roy recommended. He was not serious. They all settled on I spy, and the game went swimmingly for quite some time. If there was a fault with the game, it was indirectly involved in a dispute over who should bear the responsibility for getting lost. First of all, the term getting lost was not agreed upon by Duke, who maintained that he was not lost. The others thought that any time during a road trip that a vehicle had to turn back it was the very definition of lost.

You are in the navigator’s seat, Duke went on, and therefore you should take some of the responsibility for our situation.

Margie smiled at first then tried to look serious. "Do you really think that I don’t know that this seat is shotgun? I hope that you are aware that we have not been attacked so far on this journey; I will take credit for the safe passage," she pointed out looking, as she had for the greater portion of the road trip so far—directly at Duke.

It was I spy, we all got too wrapped up in the game, Janet leaned forward indicating that she wanted only Margie to hear. Her position in respect to amount or intensity of sincerity was not obvious. Here is a big clue; I spy a huge dark cloud straight ahead.

The heavy rain did not hit until they got to Devil’s Lake which took some time. No one could have said with any degree of certainty if consulting the map, that remained sequestered in the glove box through several misleading turns, would have been much help if it would have been referred to earlier. Getting to Devil’s Lake only meant sitting in the car until the rain stopped. Pardon me Roy, did I hear what I thought I heard? Duke turned and maneuvered as though he were about to crawl into the back seat.

"If you heard przeczekać then you heard correctly. It is Polish for wait out."

It sounded like something somebody might say as they excuse themselves to round up the heifers that got loose. Duke expressed enjoying the expression on Margie’s face which was filled with all the energy that she could marshal to remain quiet.

When they emerged from the VW Bug it was not bright sunshine that greeted them; the air was so heavy with moisture that it could have been raining which it was not. They were substantively the only people in the park. The provisions were moved from the car to a roofed picnic table and conversation was at a low ebb.

I am going to ask that ranger over there if he thinks that are stuff will be safe if we do some hiking, said Duke as he wandered off in the direction of a park maintenance person. There was probably more conversation between the two of them than there had been in the car while they waited out the rain. He said that it would be safe if we left it for a while.

There is no one here to take it, said Margie, stating the obvious.

That is what he said except for those who are ‘in tents with porpoises’. I got some information about the park. Here is what I think we should do. There is Balanced Rock to the east and Cleopatra’s Needle to the west; we should, as couples, go to one of these sites each and report back on what we see.

Like a book report, responded Janet enthusiastically.

Yes. Like a book report, Duke repeated unsure if the enthusiasm was genuine.

You should go to Unbalanced Rock, Duke. The nurse and I will get the needle.

That is Balanced Rock. And you can quit giving me the needle, replied Duke with a hint of self-satisfaction that easily would have been left out by those who were the least bit more socially adept than he.

It would be superfluous to badger you … Roy faded out.

When we get back, we get back. Don’t wait up for us, said Margie looking directly at Duke and none of the others. Both couples were quick to be on their way as though their alacrity would forestall more foul weather.

Roy and Janet meandered along aptly named Tumbled Rocks Trail finding it not unfavorable to spartan taciturnity in stark differentiation from the burdensome uncommunicativeness of the car just moments prior. Roy broke the silence, Did Margie mean anything by, ‘Don’t wait up for us?’

No. I am sure that she did not, said Janet with all the inuendo that she could muster and that the question implied. May I ask you something?

Of course, replied Roy. He had no idea what to expect.

The unbalanced comment, why do you treat him like that? she asked in a direct professional tone of voice. Roy looked at her incredulously to see if she was serious and, upon realizing she was, quickly regretted it.

It is kind of a fraternity thing; we all give it to one another, but that does not make it proper. It must sound strange to you, or you would not have brought it up, Roy was working it out for himself aloud. You are right. It is inappropriate, he concluded and wondered if his poor answer was reflected in his face.

One more thing about what you said, you referred to me as a nurse; I am a student nurse, she said, showing a great deal of respect in her voice for registered nurses. Roy was impressed with her view and her easy manner. She gave an undisguised look of curiosity as her acquisitive mind awaited his reaction which was no greater than the response he gave.

It would be better if you went first so that I, in responding, could get the benefit of your organizational skills. It is unportentous to the most extreme and magnified degree that you should propound two talking points, one directed at behavior and the other focused on setting right what is erroneous. In the future I hope to provide less occasion for the use of these admirable qualities which you possess, supposing that the deterrent be I do not provide an instance, rather than reticence on your part, Roy started out less didactically than he finished. Please continue to speak to me as you see fit.

They walked at a very leisurely pace along the Tumbled Rocks Trail. When the necessity of climbing on a rock was too overwhelming to ignore, they stopped and clambered. After one such nearly hostile inroad and subsequent retreat Janet was aware that Roy was observing her, a few minutes before she may have been self-conscious but now, she wished to be good-humored.

"I am stuck for a word. I do not want to say confidence because I am worn out over hearing it fastened where it has no business being affixed," Janet spoke on what sounded like a run. As time continued, Roy’s impressions of her that were strongest when they first arrived in his mind were now struggling to keep their place and the newer impressions, if not stronger, were vying for positions; the disputation was more for fresh position than for any kind of domination. He did not comically try to help out some of his impressions as though he were an impartial arbiter.

I hope you are not blaming the word. It is the way that people use it, Roy said, if only to sound marginally serious. Are you talking about the excess of assurance? If you are, I agree with you. All the confidence in the world is nothing without skill or acumen, Roy was happy to announce.

What have you got in mind? Janet asked as she slowed her walk.

"Try certitude; it is certainty without the doubt," said Roy, holding back a little so that he did not sound stuffy.

Maybe I will start with certainty and see if it gets me where I would like to go, she said, as she resumed walking.

It sounds like I am going to be the dog, Roy said, trying to be esoteric. Janet gave him a baffled look which delighted him. It is an expression from the theatre, try it on the dog, test the possibilities on a lesser audience and see how it goes. Woof-woof, barked Roy. Janet gathered herself and halted.

The Tumbled Rocks Trail has given me the certainty that I lacked to make a pronouncement about my career and my role as a nurse by providing me with the metaphor that encapsulates my philosophical view of health care. Let me start by saying what my perspective is not. It is not a metaphor about a journey nor a path in the usual sense. A nurse is the trail. As a person starts their health care experience it is my role to be there as the suffix -path, a person who advocates or practices a particular kind of medical treatment, said Janet. Roy could only ponder on what she was saying and its implications.

I would like to torture your metaphor before I comment, said Roy wondering when he would tire of trying to impress her.

What do you mean torture? asked Janet, predictably showing great interest, perhaps because of her lack of dating skill or lack of dating experience but genuine interest if not authentically great.

Some people would say ‘take it out for a spin and see what it can do.’ I like to torture a metaphor to find out what it is really like, explained Roy with a duo capacity for explaining and entertaining that Janet had hoped to be used to by now. -path, a person who advocates or practises a particular kind of medical treatment. An extended comfortable silence followed. As careful as he was in one-on-one situations and with more care now that he could see that the day was going to be a long one, he felt that one or two times he must have seemed to overtly notice how vulnerable she was, which must have made it terrible for her to know that he knew.

Hey Roy! Where is the car? asked Janet with lively good spirits. Roy stared at her, having no idea where it was or why it might be gone. He was thinking about how much he liked it when she said his name.

Beats me. I have complete trust in Duke, so if the car is gone, there is a good reason for it to be gone.

The food is still here so we could eat while we work on our book reports or is this going to be a combined effort? asked Janet mocking her studious nature.

I will do the book report if you make it stop raining, bargained Roy, adding a jibe about giving her the easiest task of the two. I wish I could remember a time when it was not raining, can you?

I think I read somewhere of a time when there was something called sunshine, but I have never seen it, said a stoic Janet.

It was hours before they saw the VW Bug pull into the parking lot. There was a problem with the car and now it was fixed. That was about all the interest and explanation that was shown and required. There was a certain amount of excitement to Margie when she had something to be distraught about and the car problem allowed her that indulgence. She was in almost as good a mood as Duke, who made it challenging for people to determine what he had in mind solely based on his behavior, which repeatedly had no discernable purpose. Because he observed proprieties, he could take no refuge in them when things flustered him. Good manners often give people a moment or two to gather themselves, without the risk of spontaneous behavior. Duke was not one of those people.

The date had reached the point of salvage for everyone with the exception of Duke. While the others were trying to save what they could, Duke sneered at the wreckage of fiasco. He was easy to laugh at, but that did not get in the way of liking him for many of the qualities that one would not think a person like him could possess. One had to contemplate attentively the fact that Duke did not have the air or manner of good sense about him; his conduct of life and external appearance, aspect and semblance were far from daffy, but closer to daffy than refined.

We ate before we took the car to the garage, and I see that you have eaten, though probably a while ago. Let us look for a restaurant to get something to eat on the way back to Madison. The others were quite bewildered at Duke’s proposal. They all agreed. At least things were going well for Duke they might have been thinking. After several false alarms on what would be a suitable place to eat, they hit upon what seemed to be the perfect restaurant. A very short period of time had passed, in fact they were still looking at their menus when Duke discovered that his wallet was missing from his back pocket. He was confident that he had left it at the garage. Everyone piled back in the car and set out to reinstate Duke with his wallet.

We should go to the House for a tour; we can have pizza delivered, suggested Duke as the others looked for signs of pungent wit. Roy can tell you all about how the House was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Everyone was now officially giddy. The side trip to the garage went smoothly if one does not count the time that it took. Time was getting oppressive which accounted for the lightheadedness of the four travelers. If there was an incident that could have happened to make the date longer—it did. There was no one to blame in any meaningful sense, though some of the problems that they encountered were foreseeable and avoidable. The countless minor excursions off the main route of the journey were caused by no planning whatsoever; it would be an upgrade to call it poor planning. For example, Duke could only get to the garage if he started from the Devil’s Lake Campground. The quest for his wallet would have been greatly shortened in time if he had consulted the map or if he had realized that there was more than one way to get to the garage from where they were currently.

They were walking past the latticed-sided roofed structure which held Roy’s suitcases. Their stroll was to the only door on that side of the House; it was called the Pledge Door. Duke had a key. Upon entering the House Duke pointed out that the Powder Room was straight ahead and that the young women should have to trouble themselves finding the light switch as he made a huge point of not knowing where it was. Roy took a few steps to his left as though he were going to follow Duke into the Great Hall but decided against it. He waited as Duke turned on just the lights over the fireplace. The lights cast a low glow over much of the room. When the young women joined them, it was obvious that they were impressed and tired.

We should go to my room to wait for the pizza, Duke said from his store of never-ending suggestions. He had not called yet, but Roy was grateful for the omission of the Nelson story which was sure to follow any reference to making a phone call. The young women were quite taken by the Great Hall of which they were only allowed a brief glimpse. Duke guided Margie, with Roy and Janet a full step behind, through the entire length of the Dining Room to the spiral stairway at the far southeastern corner of that floor. The steps, partially due to their slice-of-pie shape and partially due to the poor lighting in the stairwells, were difficult to traverse. It is next to impossible to walk side by side up or down the steps. Naturally, Duke made the attempt. He and Margie were successful as Duke, on his home terrain, chose to walk on the inside where the slice-of-pie was the narrowest. Roy encouraged Janet to walk ahead of him.

Everyone was relaxing in Duke’s room when the pizza arrived; it did not take forever to get there it just seemed like it did.

We should eat in the Great Hall by the fireplace said Duke with yet another suggestion. The others, emotionally deadened, got up and started to the Great Hall; they saw no value in anything that they may have had to say that would in any way differ from what they saw as a command. The steps again were a challenge, the young men found it amusing that they young women had no idea of how many flights of the spiral stairway they had gone up, hence, they had no idea how many flights they had to go down. Instances of someone having problems with something that everyone has problems with at first is always a source of levity. When they arrived at the Great Hall there was nowhere to sit, as the furniture was covered and moved to the far east side of the large room.

I think that I can find some chairs on the Second Floor, Duke was off to search.

Give a shout if you need help, Roy said in the same hollow voice that he had been using most of the date with Duke—to demonstrate to the young women that they got along. The young women, as they had been all day, were up to the challenge of making the best of any situation; they sat on the floor in front of the fireplace and arranged a little indoor picnic not unlike in most ways from the kind of picnic that they had envisioned at the start of the day to have at Devil’s Lake.

Watch out! I am going to throw a few chair cushions down so we can sit on them, Duke shouted. The Balcony, a floor up, which ran from the middle of the steps leading down from the area between the Dining Room and the Great Hall to the east wall at the far side of the large room was another unexpected revelation in a day filled with serendipitous discoveries. The young women were pleasantly surprised at the Balcony as almost everyone who becomes aware of it is. The Balcony itself is quite narrow, but as described, it is rather long. The most visible portion is just above the steps, and since nobody would be looking up as they walked down steps, it is almost invisible.

Duke, join us. We are sitting on the floor. Why bother with all that stuff? asked Roy holding back frustration as successfully as one could hold water in a sieve.

Watch this you guys, Duke said as he performed a dive, headfirst, from the Balcony to an awaiting cushion tucking his head at the last moment. The dive was successful and thrilling.

Wow! Margie spoke for the others. The dive smacked of being a little too much on the dangerous side to illicit any response that even remotely alluded to how hazardous it seemed. Roy thought that it was risky, but he chose to smooth it over by acting as though Duke did that sort of thing all the time which was not far from the truth.

Where do you get all that energy? asked Margie still in disbelief. She was not the only one in the group that was in astonishment.

Is that potential energy when he climbs the steps? asked Janet who apparently chose the path of non-endorsement by changing the point of focus.

And what a marvelous demonstration of kinetic energy, said Margie picking up a cue from Janet. Is it easier, harder or about the same as diving into water? she asked Duke with genuine interest.

I could do it into water, joked Janet to herself yet out loud. I am not ready for cushions; I should probably start out with a sofa and work my way down or is that up? If her plan was to smooth things over, she was inordinately successful.

They could have departed through the Pledge Door, but the young men were eager to see how the young women would do on the steps. When they got to the Entrance Hall, both Janet and Margie were surprised that they were at the front door of the House. I bring this up only as a point of order, but we are almost at curfew time, announced Margie to the relief of all. For the last time that day they all crammed into the car and started out to the dorm. If charted, one would see a noticeable drop in conversation as the date unfolded. When they reached the dorm Roy clandestinely mentioned to Duke not to wait for him.

Everyone helped carry the stuff from the car to the dorm; it was the first good look Roy had of the structure and he was impressed. There were three arches at the entrance and a suitable porch area just outside the main doors. Duke undaunted, walked right into the dorm with his arms full of picnic paraphernalia, while Roy, hoping to avoid a glance from Duke, looked to Janet to see what the proper procedure would be. Roy was the only one of the four that did not go into the dorm. He stayed outside mostly to avoid Duke’s treacherously-challenging-authority imperiousness of attitude. At one point, the two young men were outside, and the two young women were inside, Roy thought that it was the perfect time to make a run for it.

Margie and Janet came out, and it was then that Roy noticed that Janet was new to having herself walked to the door. She did not give herself away by acting experienced; she gave herself away by looking to Margie and following her lead. There were other couples in various stages of saying goodbye to use as a reference other than just Margie. When it became necessary, Margie suggested to Duke that they walk down the steps and stand near the VW Bug to secure a more comfortable place to speak to each other. It was coincidental to Janet’s curious observations. It seemed as though Janet wanted to look to the other young women who were saying goodbye as a sort of template on what to do. Her manners did only allow her a brief glance and she did not linger on one particular couple not counting those who chose to stand by the Bug.

Roy was trying to formulate a meaningful non-trivial version of an apology for his role in how the date had gone. He was aware that things had not gone well; more than an apology, he wanted to escape his own behavior but that was an impossibility. He had no excuses to give was the existency which troubled him. Janet was reading him, and her thoughts were along the same lines. She felt herself culpable in letting things bother her and she was certain that Roy had noticed every little incident of her vexations particularly of him and the situation. In a few moments she would have to go inside and that would be the end. She was puzzled over how such a long day, an excruciatingly long day, could leave her wanting just a little more time with him.

They both started to speak. They were identical in showing culpability.

Well, I should go— Roy cut off.

If anyone is to blame— Janet cut off. Roy shook his head to indicate that she was not to blame, it was not exactly clear what his shoulder shrug meant unless it was a way to overcome inertia; as he started to move from her, Janet grabbed his sleeve and practically spun him back, I have been with you sixteen hours today, I am getting a kiss!

CHAPTER 3

Maddie

Iam sure that this is one of a flash of things that turns out to be true because it was always true, and nobody would behave in anyway authenticating it which was the only thing that it lacked," Maddie thought out loud which may not have been appropriate given the circumstances, but it was what she intended. The three young women that were standing not exactly close to her were taken aback slightly as it was unclear to whom the young woman in the mysteriously exciting green shirt was speaking.

Did you catch that? asked Abby as she looked from one of her friends to the other.

Do you think that she overheard us chatting about what those young men who walked by us were saying? Annie asked in such a general disbursement only Kiki, who was not able to follow what she understood to be three separate and distinct topics of conversation, needed some clarity. She had a certain amount of trust in her own observations but would have been shocked to find out the degree to which others trusted her views.

What specifically are we addressing? asked Kiki aware that the others could not possibly have followed either. Instead of answering, Annie took a few steps toward the young woman.

Hello. I am Annie; this is Abby, and this is Kiki. It was a nice friendly gesture on Annie’s part and was well received by psychedelic green.

Maddie is my name. I have been abandoned here by a friend, which as we all know is often the fate of a young woman in a bar. Do you guys come here often? Maddie asked perhaps to avoid answering questions about her recent behavior which was not anticipating Annie’s bold introduction.

I am not sure about often, but this is our usual place of escape and entertainment, said Abby, anxious to be part of the conversation with the new person.

So, you are students, Maddie was quick to respond. Kiki did not want to be misleading, and experience had taught her to explain that they were not students at Wisconsin.

We are student nurses at St Mary’s, Kiki said, preparing to continue until the expression on Maddie’s face revealed it was all the explanation that was necessary.

I really like your shirt, said Abby, as though anything was better than Kiki leading a conversation.

I can tell that you are a big fan of green, replied Maddie, who knew that with compliments received in the presence of other people it is often revealing to observe the reaction of others in the group instead of the one who received the praise. As she cast a glance at the others, she not only noticed how they reacted to the inconsequential remark made as part of polite conversation but that they did not care if Abby observed their responses. Their looks unmistakably shouted, Really? No kidding? followed by the obligatory eye-roll. Abby who was dressed in army green, could not have dressed to the effect of being deprived any more than she did without being accused of comic intent. I suppose it is a nice change from the student nurse white, said Maddie anxious to pursue the conjecture as she loved to stir things up not to make them cloudy but to see where they settled. Oh, here is the one who abandoned me, Maddie said as she introduced everyone to her friend Fiona.

We do not come here very often, Fiona said addressing the student nurses, so I like to see the place a little, sort of get a feel for the people here, you know. Whatever her intentions were, she could not help putting a favorable spin on the sort of nightlife she most enjoyed. There is not an abundance of young men here tonight.

A little earlier several young men walked past us, and they were having the most thought-provoking conversation. It was one of those things that makes one wonder what the details were as the threads and thrums were engrossing, Kiki said, returning to an earlier topic.

Before we get into the lack of sentiment skift of our dialogue, what do you guys do? asked Annie getting her own thoughts straight.

We both work at the Hotel Lyle, said Fiona, waiting a brief moment for Maddie to say something and then went on, Maddie works in the kitchen as a Line Cook, and I work as a Front Desk Clerk.

Hospitality and hospital-ity, Maddie joked. She was trying to make audibly the sounds she heard in her mind before she said it aloud. We make quite a group.

Can we get back to what the young men may or may not have said? Annie was only partially serious in her plea. The group of young women had remained standing throughout the entire conversation and it was only natural that they move closer together for what they anticipated. Kiki remained where she was, so it looked to the others as though she took a step backwards; if she was not the thrashing kind, it was only because she felt that some people were too complicated to be gone over in a group where the main idea was entertainment not helpfulness.

When the three young men were passing by us, I am sure that I heard one of them mention Phi Gamma Delta, Annie was trying not to give away to the new acquaintances how she wanted to impress them. I could be wrong, but I think that is the same fraternity to which two young men that we met about three weeks ago at Jerkwater were members. If that is the case, then the young men here tonight know them, Annie left out the as do we portion of her kerf.

I think that I heard one of them say that he was so tired of hearing about, and I did not get the name, Abby paused as though she wanted someone to suggest a name and then she would continue; she did not want to give up the floor.

It has been my experience that when young men criticize other young men as you have described it means that we, as young women, would find such an anathematized person quite becoming, if you know what I mean,