Stories from the Stringam Family Ranches of Southern Alberta

From the 50s and 60s to today . . .



Thursday, June 13, 2013

The All Nighter

Delores from The Feathered Nest has issued a new Wednesday's Words challenge.
This week's words are Donut, Flannel, Frayed, Inching, Virtuous, Cartoons.
How fortunate that they fit right into an experience from my college days . . .

Debbie sat back and stretched. “I need some donuts!” she said.
I rubbed a hand over my tired eyes and stared at her.
Debbie was known for her unusual cravings. A terrible need to find ‘the good lollipops’ when both of us were supposed to be sitting in Biology class.  A craving that only ‘the chili dogs that they sell at College Mall’ could fill during Sunday services. Some of ‘Mom’s pickles’ when half a continent stood between us and them.
I was used to following her when she hatched these schemes.
They were nothing, if not entertaining . . .
“Where do you propose to find donuts at 4 AM on a Friday morning?” I asked in my most practical voice. I flipped a page of my textbook and tried to return to my former level of concentration.
“Tom's!” Debbie chirped cheerfully. She snapped her book shut and stood up.
“The pizza place?” I frowned. “They have donuts?”
“Good ones,” Debbie said knowledgeably.
“Deb, I’ve got exactly four more hours before my exam,” I said, trying to sound virtuous. “I’m not going for donuts!”
“Oh come on. You’ll be able to concentrate better!”
Sighing, I dropped a ruler on my page to hold my place. Then looked at her. “Are you going to change?”
Debbie rolled up one sagging flannel pant leg. “Nope,” she said. “I’ll just put on a coat.”
I sighed again and pulled on my floor length dressing gown, frowning at the frayed hem. Then I looked at my roommate. She was busily rolling up the other wrinkled pant leg. I shrugged. No one was going to be looking at me.
I moved toward the door. “Ready?”
She nodded and brushed quickly past, reaching for her car keys. “Let’s roll!” she said.
A couple of minutes later, we were parked in front of Tom’s.
There was only one other car in the lot.
A police cruiser.
I walked up to the door and paused. The TV inside was tuned to the all night cartoon channel. Through the glass, I saw Yogi Bear make off with someone’s picnic basket.
I pushed open the door. Two policemen, obviously enjoying a late night meal looked up at me. I smiled at them and turned to Debbie. “So what do you want?” I asked.
But Debbie stood frozen at the door, staring at the two men. One flannel pant leg had come untucked. It hung halfway between the hem of her coat and her ankle.
One of the policemen smiled encouragingly and beckoned to her.
She shook her head and started inching back toward the door.
“Debbie, what are you doing?” I asked, following her.
“I’ve just decided that I really don’t need a snack,” she said. She looked at me. “And neither do you. C'mon, we've got studying to do!"
Have you ever heard that 'insanity rules after midnight'?
It's true.

18 comments:

  1. That was an odd reaction but, who knew that in the far distant future you would need that story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A very odd reaction. I wonder now if she had any unpaid parking tickets . . .

      Delete
  2. So, is it wrong that I giggled at the fact that the only car in the parking lot of the only place to get donuts was a police car? ;)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hmm ... sounds like she was right - that place MUST have sold "the good ones" if the police were there! (Yes, I'm profiling them :p)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love that you were trying to sound "virtuous"! I remember a lot of times we would just use any old excuse not to study. Seeing as how you left without the doughnuts, I was wondering if this was one of those kind of moments...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Definitely on of those moments! You saw how little encouragement I needed .. . .

      Delete
  5. Well now what do you suppose SHE'S wanted for?!

    Pearl

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My thoughts exactly! Hmm . . could she be the donut-eating, lollipop-licking, chilidog-scarfing, pickle-sneaking arch nemesis, Pajama Girl? Wow! And to think she was MY roommate! :)

      Delete
  6. I think if Delores is handing out prizes you won this one, words down.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I can't see any policemen keeping me from donuts. Wonder why Debbie changed her mind?
    Great story.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I can't believe you left without the donuts, either. Why would you leave without donuts?
    I do wonder why she changed her mind. Was she on the lam for something? Hmm...These are the friends you go to jail for - either with them in the cell or paying their bail money. Great ones. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I could see them. I could smell them. I just couldn't pay for them!

      Delete

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