This is the background information - This was an earlier story I wrote.
Installment 1
They didn’t know it when they met, but over the next four years of their lives Merry Materson, Bronson Treble, and Biff Malachite were going to become more involved with each other than they could have ever imagined.
It was 1982, and the four of them were just starting college together. They were attending a somewhat elite college on the mainline in Philadelphia. The campus was sprawling as it had been an estate prior to its use as a college. At the time, there were only about 1500 students living on campus, so not a large school at all. Nevertheless, everyone knew or at least recognized everyone, so the atmosphere was congenial. The four met during one of the orientation activities that had been planned. The freshman entered a few days earlier to get settled and to have an orientation before the upperclassmen arrived. There were several picturesque spots on campus, including the old water wheel that was as old as the estate itself, a lovely pond featuring swans, and the infamous rock. The rock was what social media is today. Different things were painted onto the rock. Concerts were announced, a rebellion was mentioned, birthdays were wished. Oh, and there was one other pond that was overlooked by the mansion on one side and a former stable building on the other.
Biff hated orientation; in fact, Biff hated anything that had to do with playing games or acting stupid in front of other people. For Biff, orientation was not only a waste of time but as close to torture as a freshman could get. Biff came from a small suburb near the College. Biff had not been very popular at his own school but had many friends at other schools. Biff put on airs so that others would not realize that he was not quite as rich as he appeared to be. 1982 was the height of the preppy period. Wearing layers of pink and green Lacoste shirts, you know the ones with the little alligators on them, was THE thing to do. It made you stand out, it made you important, and it suggested you had money. Fortunately for Biff, his parents had recently retired to Ft. Lauderdale. Biff let it be known that his parents were living in a double-wide mobile home but rather talked more about the pool and tennis courts that were found on the property. Biff was a short little guy who liked guys but was trying desperately to fight this issue. Biff always had girlfriends until he got into high school, and that was when he started having his first experiences with other guys. Biff enjoyed both, which just created more confusion for Biff. Biff was originally placed in a basement dorm with three other guys he did not know. One was a bit of a geek. Nice guy, but Biff did not see any chance of a real friendship between them. The other was a Pre-Med major. He has pictures of naked women hanging everywhere. He drank a lot, smoked a lot, and tumbled into the room well after midnight a lot. The fourth roommate was Newton Tinder. Like Biff, who was older when he entered college, Newton, or Newt as he was called, was also older. Not only was he older, but he was tall, strong, and put together. Biff drooled over Newt, but as Biff got to know Newt, he realized that Newt was just an all-around nice guy who had a huge heart for anyone. The bathroom experience in this dormitory was anything but ideal. Two shower stalls, a double vanity, and I think two toilets. It could be very crowded some mornings. For Biff, this only leads to more confusion. He would frequently see Newt naked and drying off either in the shower or, for that matter, back in their dorm room. Newt was a hunk, and Biff was really struggling not to stare at Newt.
Things came to a head in the dorm room around early October. Biff was tired of the naked girls' pictures and the drunkenness that his roommate was exhibiting. He rarely went to class but still pulled good grades. Though Newt was a good friend to Biff, Newt had found himself a girlfriend, and Newt stopped being in the dorm room much. Biff had come to college for two main reasons: one was to become a youth pastor, and the other was to hopefully “pray the gay away.” His living situation was just really starting to upset him more and more, so eventually, he went to the Dean of students to ask for a change in housing. It took a bit of time, but by Thanksgiving vacation, Biff had been moved out of his current dorm room and into a two-man dorm room across campus. Biff’s new roommate was super nice but was never in the room. He was up early every morning because, just like the old Dunkin Donuts commercial, “He made the donuts.” He was out almost every evening as well, so Biff soon found he had basically a single. Biff's new roommate told him that he would not be returning after Christmas break, which meant Biff was basically alone. Not a bad deal for Biff, who rather enjoyed having that solitude.
Prior to the holidays, Biff began hanging out with some older students. Older in the sense that they were graduating in the spring, but age-wise, Biff still had a year or two on them. One was Merry Materson. He met Merry one day when he was walking through what was then the smoking lounge of the student union building. Merry was a firecracker! She was bubbly and full of life. She also spoke her mind for better or worse. Merry was about the same age as Biff, and so Merry took it upon herself to look after Biff and take him out … drinking on the weekends. One of the other guys Biff met was Bronson Treble. Bronson and several other guys lived in a small house on campus. This allowed them to have far more privacy than those living in the dorms. All those living in the “cottage” were upper-classmen. Bronson was not very tall but taller than Biff. Bronson had coal-black hair and steel blue eyes. He was from New England and came from a good deal of wealth. Bronson, like Newt, was this wonderfully sensitive and funny guy. Biff was pretty sure that Bronson was gay. As always happens on a small campus, eventually, Merry and some of her friends were friends with Bronson and his friends, and so we all began hanging out together. Everyone in this group was over 21, so drinking was never an issue.
Installment 1
They didn’t know it when they met, but over the next four years of their lives Merry Materson, Bronson Treble, and Biff Malachite were going to become more involved with each other than they could have ever imagined.
It was 1982, and the four of them were just starting college together. They were attending a somewhat elite college on the mainline in Philadelphia. The campus was sprawling as it had been an estate prior to its use as a college. At the time, there were only about 1500 students living on campus, so not a large school at all. Nevertheless, everyone knew or at least recognized everyone, so the atmosphere was congenial. The four met during one of the orientation activities that had been planned. The freshman entered a few days earlier to get settled and to have an orientation before the upperclassmen arrived. There were several picturesque spots on campus, including the old water wheel that was as old as the estate itself, a lovely pond featuring swans, and the infamous rock. The rock was what social media is today. Different things were painted onto the rock. Concerts were announced, a rebellion was mentioned, birthdays were wished. Oh, and there was one other pond that was overlooked by the mansion on one side and a former stable building on the other.
Biff hated orientation; in fact, Biff hated anything that had to do with playing games or acting stupid in front of other people. For Biff, orientation was not only a waste of time but as close to torture as a freshman could get. Biff came from a small suburb near the College. Biff had not been very popular at his own school but had many friends at other schools. Biff put on airs so that others would not realize that he was not quite as rich as he appeared to be. 1982 was the height of the preppy period. Wearing layers of pink and green Lacoste shirts, you know the ones with the little alligators on them, was THE thing to do. It made you stand out, it made you important, and it suggested you had money. Fortunately for Biff, his parents had recently retired to Ft. Lauderdale. Biff let it be known that his parents were living in a double-wide mobile home but rather talked more about the pool and tennis courts that were found on the property. Biff was a short little guy who liked guys but was trying desperately to fight this issue. Biff always had girlfriends until he got into high school, and that was when he started having his first experiences with other guys. Biff enjoyed both, which just created more confusion for Biff. Biff was originally placed in a basement dorm with three other guys he did not know. One was a bit of a geek. Nice guy, but Biff did not see any chance of a real friendship between them. The other was a Pre-Med major. He has pictures of naked women hanging everywhere. He drank a lot, smoked a lot, and tumbled into the room well after midnight a lot. The fourth roommate was Newton Tinder. Like Biff, who was older when he entered college, Newton, or Newt as he was called, was also older. Not only was he older, but he was tall, strong, and put together. Biff drooled over Newt, but as Biff got to know Newt, he realized that Newt was just an all-around nice guy who had a huge heart for anyone. The bathroom experience in this dormitory was anything but ideal. Two shower stalls, a double vanity, and I think two toilets. It could be very crowded some mornings. For Biff, this only leads to more confusion. He would frequently see Newt naked and drying off either in the shower or, for that matter, back in their dorm room. Newt was a hunk, and Biff was really struggling not to stare at Newt.
Things came to a head in the dorm room around early October. Biff was tired of the naked girls' pictures and the drunkenness that his roommate was exhibiting. He rarely went to class but still pulled good grades. Though Newt was a good friend to Biff, Newt had found himself a girlfriend, and Newt stopped being in the dorm room much. Biff had come to college for two main reasons: one was to become a youth pastor, and the other was to hopefully “pray the gay away.” His living situation was just really starting to upset him more and more, so eventually, he went to the Dean of students to ask for a change in housing. It took a bit of time, but by Thanksgiving vacation, Biff had been moved out of his current dorm room and into a two-man dorm room across campus. Biff’s new roommate was super nice but was never in the room. He was up early every morning because, just like the old Dunkin Donuts commercial, “He made the donuts.” He was out almost every evening as well, so Biff soon found he had basically a single. Biff's new roommate told him that he would not be returning after Christmas break, which meant Biff was basically alone. Not a bad deal for Biff, who rather enjoyed having that solitude.
Prior to the holidays, Biff began hanging out with some older students. Older in the sense that they were graduating in the spring, but age-wise, Biff still had a year or two on them. One was Merry Materson. He met Merry one day when he was walking through what was then the smoking lounge of the student union building. Merry was a firecracker! She was bubbly and full of life. She also spoke her mind for better or worse. Merry was about the same age as Biff, and so Merry took it upon herself to look after Biff and take him out … drinking on the weekends. One of the other guys Biff met was Bronson Treble. Bronson and several other guys lived in a small house on campus. This allowed them to have far more privacy than those living in the dorms. All those living in the “cottage” were upper-classmen. Bronson was not very tall but taller than Biff. Bronson had coal-black hair and steel blue eyes. He was from New England and came from a good deal of wealth. Bronson, like Newt, was this wonderfully sensitive and funny guy. Biff was pretty sure that Bronson was gay. As always happens on a small campus, eventually, Merry and some of her friends were friends with Bronson and his friends, and so we all began hanging out together. Everyone in this group was over 21, so drinking was never an issue.
