Helping Susan

Susan and I met the fall semester of our sophomore year. I was a houseboy at her sorority. Her sorority was every guy's top 1 or 2. Being a houseboy was a deal. The food was great and you met a bunch of high-quality girls.

Susan was beautiful. Her flawless cream-colored skin never suffered from a blemish. Her shoulder-length black hair had just a touch of a wave. Her eyes were the color of the Hope Diamond. She stood 5' 2". Susan had almost no waist. Her boobs were unbelievable. She was somewhere between a 32D and 32G. It was hard to tell. She never wore tight fitting clothes. Susan never displayed cleavage.

One of my pledge brothers was from her hometown. As guys tend to do, we discussed Susan's qualities. Bob told me her two older sisters were built and looked like her. He added, you could tell Susan and her sister were related to her mom. What I would have given to have grown up near her.

Her personality was a great as her body. She was always friendly, sweet, positive and upbeat. Susan was a delight to be around. So much that when talking to her you forgot about her great body.

Her life seemed to be humming along until midway through the Spring Semester.

One Saturday night her sorority had a party. Us houseboys served food through a buffet line rather than at tables. The girls were in various stages of getting dressed up. While cleaning up I saw Susan heading upstairs in no stage of dressing up for a party. I could not believe she wasn't going to her sorority's party. I heard through the grapevine she spent the evening at her sister's house in town.

Later that night at the house I told Bob that Susan was not going to the party.

He said, "I know why".

"Why?"

"Her dad got caught embezzling funds from the savings and loan where he works."

"That means time in the gray bar hotel."

"Yes. And he spent some of the money on fooling around on his great looking wife."

"Incredible. No wonder Susan isn't in a party mood."

The next week I quit working at the sorority to play on the house softball team.

The following Tuesday I was walking back to the house from class. I could not believe my good fortune. Susan was just ahead of me. I picked up the pace and caught up with her.

"Hi Susan, how are you?"

"Hi, fine Mike."

We chatted a bit more.

Then I said, "I noticed you did not go to your party Saturday night."

"Yeah." Her head tilted down.

"Every single guy on this campus would have taken you to the party given the chance."

She did not say anything.

"I sense something's wrong. We've gotten to be friends these past few months. I've been told I'm a good listener. If you want to talk let me know. Anything you tell me is confidential. This is purely platonic. I have a good reputation at your sorority. I want to keep it that way. Call me anytime."

"Ok."

I had no idea if I would ever hear from Susan, but around 9:00 PM Thursday Susan called.

"Hello."

"Mike, it's Susan."

"Hi Susan. It's great to hear from you."

"Can we talk tonight?"

"Sure, what time?"

Can you pick me up at the house at ten?"

"Sure."

"I will be at the side door."

"See you then."

I changed from a flannel shirt and blue jeans into a dress button down Oxford cloth shirt and blue jeans.

I arrived at her sorority two minutes early. There she was at the side door. The temperature was in the mid-40s. She was wearing a blue down filled coat, black turtleneck sweater and blue jeans.

I got out to open the door for her.

"Hi."

"Hi."

We drove to a local burger place called Vista for a coke. Along the way we engaged in small talk.

Once we got to Vista I ordered for us. We sat down.

"How are you?"

'Ok, I guess."

"What's up?"

"Well, it's my dad," she paused. "He's in trouble," she hesitated again. "He works at a savings and loan and stole money. I don't know what to think. I don't know what to do," she sniffed.

"Don't let what he did define you. You are not him. You did nothing wrong. No one thinks you did anything wrong.

"School will get tougher. Break up big tasks into small tasks. Take satisfaction when small tasks get done.

"Pray whether you believe in the Almighty or not. Praying gets things off your chest.

"I hear you have a sister in town. That's great. You can spend time with her and lean on each other.

"Just don't blame yourself."

"Ok. Thanks."

We soon left and headed for Susan's sorority house. I opened her car door and escorted her to the sorority house side door.

"Thanks again."

"Anytime." We parted.

Two weeks later she called. "Mike. It's Susan. Can we talk tonight?"

"Sure. What time?"

"How about 10:00 o'clock?"

"Sure. See you then."

I picked her up like last time.

We sat down with our order at Vista.

"What's up?"

Susan did not mention her dad. She talked about everything else. It dawned on me she wanted a guy to talk to. That guy was me. After we finished our drinks, I took her back to her sorority.

Since I began meeting with Susan, I noticed several of her sorority sisters would greet me walking to and from class with more enthusiasm and bigger smiles than usual. A great trade-off for buying 2 cokes and listening to a great looking woman talk. I did not hear from Susan for another 4 weeks. Finals were approaching.

She called me on a Tuesday. "Mike. It's Susan. Can we talk tonight?"

"Sure. What time?"

"10:00".

"See you then."

I drove to Susan's sorority house. She was dressed in khaki pants, a light blue button-down shirt and a dark blue scarf draped across her chest. That was a definite change from blue jeans.

We chatted along the way about whatever. She was noticeably happier than the prior two times. Once I sat down with our drinks I said, "What's up?"

"I have big news. I am transferring to OU next semester. I visited the campus. I like the place. They have my major. All my credits transfer. My older sister lives there. I move down there in early June. I can't wait!"

"Susan, that's great. I am so happy for you. Your get to start with a clean slate."

"I'm so excited!"

The rest of the time we engaged in small talk. Once at the sorority house I walked her to the side door.

She looked at me.

"Goodbye, Mike."

"Goodbye, Susan."

She moved towards me. We hugged for the first time. The only time. We hugged for 30 seconds, a minute, 2 minutes, I do not know. Time stood still.

She opened the door and walked in. I watched her walk up the stairs like it was the last time I would see her.

It was.

The following Fall semester I asked Bob about Susan.

"Bob, have you heard how Susan is doing at OU?"

"I have. She loves it there. She's engaged."

"Good for her."

I thought about writing her a congratulatory letter. I changed my mind. Susan had a new start. Things were going great. No need to take a chance reminding her of the tough times that Spring semester.

I hope she is happy.