Chapter 24: Lucille & Lori Hit the Road

Mom & Daughter Road Trip

WVU College of Creative Arts
Where I would receive most of my music education instruction

July also brought a fun trip down to WVU for Freshman Orientation.

Mom and I shared the driving. It was a great experience, just the two of us, Thelma & Louise style.

We stayed at Towers residence hall, and shared a room in Tower Two. We attended campus tours and the like, riding the unique-to-WVU “PRT” (Personal Rapid Transit, the above-ground transportation system that resembles a short monorail).

Because of this, I never rode a typical campus bus.

musicnotes-tiny“Miss Me Blind” by Culture Club

Culture Club – Miss Me Blind

Click for New York Times article about the WVU PRT
WVU’s Personal Rapid Transit

We established an account with ATM card downtown, at First National Bank of Morgantown. Similar to Mom’s Master Charge, it had a “CashStream” logo. I hadn’t used a debit card before and was explicitly cautioned against its liberal use.

We saw the “CAC” (Creative Arts Center, where I would later attend my music classes, rehearsals and concerts) and visited the immense football stadium, “Mountaineer Field.”

Mom and I stood there at the North gate, gazing down at the expanse of Astroturf and around at the two-tiered stands where over 65,000 rabid Mountaineer fans had screamed themselves silly at each home game. We now knew that I would be one of the lucky few playing to that mammoth three-story press box.

I was about to make many memories in that stadium, and would return for years as a part of the 350+ WVU Alumni Band with my husband.

I also met my future roommate, sweet, blond and soft-spoken Lisa L, from Shinnston, WV. We got acquainted, talked about what college would be like, and arranged for a mini-refrigerator for our dorm room. Mom later bought us ice cream.

And so God steps in…

WVU's student union, the "Mountainlair", where I met my future husband
WVU’s student union, the “Mountainlair”, where I met my future husband

Before I went to have my Student ID photo taken at the Mountainlair (student union), Mom and I visited the Marching Band booth in the main lobby area.

There, showing videos of WVU’s Mountaineer Marching Band were two upperclassmen who were also in the organization. I struck up a conversation with them, and spoke mostly to the guy with straight brown hair and a mustache.

I showed him my new snare drum pendant I’d gotten at my grad party. When it was time for my student ID picture, we said goodbye and see you at band camp.

Little did I know that following my departure, straight brown hair/mustache guy turned to his friend.

My WVU ID Card
My WVU ID Card, taken moments after meeting the nice guy with the straight brown hair

He declared, “I’m gonna take that girl out,” to which the friend (later known as Bob R) snickered.

But John would not easily be discouraged …

I also met a bunch of fellow freshman music majors at the orientation and we palled around together for a few hours, and we decided to blow off the freshman mixer in favor of grabbing a pizza at Mario’s on University Avenue, near Towers.

Cool as always, Mom made herself scarce for the time being, and we planned to meet toward evening. The last night of our two-day trip, Mom and I had a nice dinner at Shoney’s next to the Coliseum Motel. We shared a brownie ice cream sundae and talked about the future. She was so excited for me, and I remember feeling nervous but relieved to have met some of my future classmates.

Shoney's: a must in Morgantown
Shoney’s, a must in Morgantown for decades

I was mere weeks from a new life of collegiate independence. On the brink of such change, I realized I was going to really miss my mother. The days of regularly hanging out together watching TV mini-series or going out to the movies and the like were dwindling.

Her health would eventually deteriorate, and we both knew it. Things would never be the same.

musicnotes-tiny“Who’s That Girl” by Eurythmics

Eurythmics – Who’s That Girl

End of Summer Goodbyes

MarkBy August, I believe Mark was trying to cool things. I would soon leave for West Virginia and he wisely surmised that I would inevitably meet somebody at school. Attempting to maintain a long-distance thing would probably be trying at best.

Mark had already been scorched by a previous girl who left for college at Villanova and promptly found someone else.

His increased involvement with Chatter and their jam-packed schedule provided a convenient reason for his inability to see me as often.

Hangin’ with Kevin

I really missed Mark, and did a lot of writing in the ME Book, but it made no sense to idly sit waiting for his call.

WVU College Checklist
All set! (Substitute “iPod” with “Walkman”)

One morning in August, I went downstairs into the kitchen to find a cute young plumber crouched under the sink.

Kevin introduced himself to me, and we started a conversation … and ended up going out that night to the movies at Amboys Multiplex on Route 9. We grabbed a Dunkin’ Donuts afterward. Kevin was also in the pit crew for a local stock car driver, and I went with him to some racetrack to see him get all greasy.

He took me out in his jacked-up old Chevelle to the K-Mart lot so I could get the feel for driving stick. He was a nice guy, but the relationship was casual. I would be leaving for college within a matter of days.

Though Mark was no longer as accessible as in recent months, he sent me a couple of postcards from his travels with Chatter and occasionally called. Our relationship was undoubtedly cooling.

After a long walk, we had a final passionate good-bye outside in the shadows in front of the house.

A New Role at ASTA

I attended ASTA as staff in August, for the first time as a counselor. This was a completely different ball game from being a student.

I left Saturday with the East Brunswick crowd gathered at the Simons’ house, carpooling down to Glassboro State. We would be assigned our floors and co-counselors, and tasks for that week.

ASTA staff
ASTA staff

As a counselor, I had new responsibilities. These included rotating desk duty, supervising events, providing support during rehearsals, escorting kids back to the dorm, and coaching a chamber music group for Thursday’s recital.

Saturday evening was busy with making signs for the students’ doors, unpacking into our own rooms and getting acclimated. The students arrived with their parents the next day and it was instant bedlam. I handled the confusion well, meeting the parents of the girls on my floor and holding a meeting that evening to go over the Dos and Don’ts and other important matters.

musicnotes-tiny“A Little Bit of Love Is All It Takes” by New Edition

New Edition – A Little Bit Of Love (Is All It Takes)

Leading an intermediate chamber music group was a completely new experience, and a little intimidating. I was assigned a “co-coach” who seemed hesitant about what to do, so I took over most of the rehearsals. I took it slowly, working well with the junior high-aged kids.

Skit
A skit in which an entire song is rendered via mouth-popping (Joey D on right)

Every night, we counselors stayed up having a ball (of course routinely monitoring the dorm on a rotating basis) with improvised music, singing, eating and coming up with skits for Thursday’s Non-Talent Show. I was in a couple of skits, singing and doing some slapstick stuff … a crazy good time.

I got to be good friends with “Joey D” for the next several ASTAs. The eligible S brothers were “down” one; Joe married that year. 

I got along very well with the girls on my floor; the 11-year-old “ringleader” Jen even started a little “fan club” for me. It was all so cute.

ASTA Chamber Group
Me and my chamber music group

The concert Friday night was again the culmination of the entire week, and this time I wistfully observed from a staff viewpoint. I knew the excitement of the kids, performing and seeing their families again.

That night it was strangely quiet as we tore signs off the doors and set things into order. It had been a wonderful experience. And for the first time, I was a sort of “contemporary” of the conference’s Assistant Director, Gordon T—no longer a subordinate. I now held a position of comparable responsibility over the students.

Chapter 25: Off to West Virginia University

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