The Road Not Taken: Another Path

Chapter 4

August 19, 1971

Sam had arrived at the dorm where he figured he would most likely live the next four years of his life, at least when he wasn't home for the summers. The previous few months had flown by so quickly, he was hardly aware that the date had come to leave home. First came the State Championships and then, high school graduation. He'd spent the summer helping his dad get the homestead in good shape since he would seldom be home to do any chores come fall.

He had awoken that morning to the sounds and scents of a full breakfast being prepared. "Just like the day Tom left for Annapolis," Sam recalled.

When he'd arrived downstairs, he found that all of the boxes and suitcases had already been put on the truck. "You guys trying to get rid of me or something?"

His mother had smiled. "Sam, honey, we just know that you've put this off longer than you'd originally planned. I know its right for you to leave, to start college. Time to chase after your dreams."

Sam had thought about that for a moment. Was he really going after his dreams? No, he'd given those up the day that Tom had been buried, the day he'd decided not to go to MIT and the world that path would have opened up to him. Instead, he'd decided to follow where he felt his family could most use him, there on the farm, helping his dad. That's what a B.S. in Agriculture was all about.

Sam said nothing of this, of course. He'd done his best to convince his parents that this was really what he wanted. It was a decision he had made and he didn't want his parents to feel guilty about it. Now the day had come to move away from the only home he had ever known to a place where he'd learn things to help his Dad keep the farm in the family another generation or two.

They'd all sat down for a hearty Indiana farm breakfast of bacon, eggs, biscuits, butter, milk, and orange juice. His father lit up one of his Lucky Strikes after the meal. "Thelma, that had to have been the best send-off breakfasts anyone ever ate."

"Yeah, Mom. Thanks."

"Sam, I don't know what they'll be serving you up there at Purdue. I just wanted you to have a meal to remember."

"As if I could forget!" Sam went over and gave his mother a hug. Suddenly, he realized, he would be saying goodbye to her shortly. He knew he and his father would be leaving soon, taking truck to drive up to Purdue. He hugged his mother tighter. "I love you, Mom." He gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Land's sake, Sam. It's not like you'll never be home again."

"I know, but I've never been away from the farm like this before. It's a bit scary."

"Everything is going to be okay, Sam. Now, you go on. I want your father back here before it gets dark."

"Okay, Mom." He gave her another kiss and walked towards the door.

"You gonna say goodbye to me?" Katie stood by the door, arms folded, hip jutted out.

Sam laughed. "Yeah, Sis. Goodbye." He walked over and gave her a big hug. "You need to help Mom and Dad out, you know."

"I know…they'll keep me too busy."

"You'll live, Katie." He bent down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Katie hugged him tighter and pressed her face into his chest. "Sam…I'm…I'm..."

"I'm going to miss you too."

Katie looked up, suddenly brightening. "But I've got Tommy's room now! No take backs!"

Sam laughed again. "No take backs. Love you, Sis."

"Bye Sam."

The family walked out of the farmhouse together. His dad had gone to the back of the truck, making sure that the tarp was tied down. His mother brought out a picnic basket and handed it to Sam.

"Thanks, Mom. I'll give you a call tonight. I love you. Bye." He gave her another kiss and climbed into the truck.

"You'll do fine, Sam." Thelma and Katie stood in the yard, not wanting to let Sam out of their sight until the last possible minute.

"It'll be a full day, Thelma. See you tonight." John Beckett leaned in and gave his wife a kiss and then climbed in behind the wheel. "Katie, you make sure you get those cows milked. Your mother said she'd help you but you make sure to pull your share of the work." Katie nodded. He started the truck and they pulled out down the long drive towards the farm road.

Sam had looked behind him until the house was out of sight.

The ride up to Purdue had taken about 3 hours and his father had helped him unload the truck. Afterwards, they'd broken into the picnic basket and had the lunch that Thelma had packed: ham salad sandwiches, pickles, and cold lemonade. After they finished the "main meal," Sam smiled and handed his father one of the Rice Krispies squares that his mother had packed for dessert. He'd rather have her cobbler, but that would have been messier to pack, and the little square dessert was a favorite as well.

After they finished eating, John Beckett cleared his throat. "Well, son. I know you'll do fine here. I'm glad you decided to follow in the family business, although I don't know why you need to go to school to learn farming. I could teach you myself." He stopped for a moment thinking whether he should go on, but deciding to anyways. "I guess that brain of yours needs to hear it with all the mumbo-jumbo these professors use. Agriculture is a far cry from what you were planning to do. I wasn't sure it was what you wanted. Last time you and Tom were together, you seemed hell bent on going to that school in Massachusetts. Tom told me and your mother that going there would be best for you."

Sam looked down, pushing away the part of him that said he still wished he was going to that "school in Massachusetts." "Yeah, Dad. That was another time. I guess I just thought better of it. This way, I'll be a lot closer to home and will be able to work on the farm in the summers."

"That will be a help. I'd best get back. Leaving Katie to do the milking even with your Mom's help is not the best choice."

"Yeah. She'll be all right, Dad. Don't go too hard on her. I'll give you guys a call later."

They embraced, giving each other a long hug. John Beckett got back into his truck and drove away. Sam turned and walked up the stairs to his new dorm room.

His roommate, according to the paperwork that Purdue had sent him, was another freshman. His name was Peter Fisk. Sam hoped that the survey that he'd filled out had allowed them to pair him with a compatible person. Sam wasn't difficult to get along with but he hated being around obnoxious people.

As he unpacked the footlocker – the one that Tom had used in Annapolis – he considered what his life would be like on campus. Between classes, basketball practices, and games, he had little spare time. But Tom had always said that college was a time to build friendships.

Sam had always been somewhat shy. Not a shrinking violet, of course, but one who tended to keep to himself. He'd found that most people weren't interested in discussing the ideas and concepts that came unbidden to his mind, constantly opening up possibilities like a gate opening upon a beautiful garden.

As he put the clothes away in the non-descript chest of drawers that came with the dorm room, he heard the door opening. Turning, he saw a young man about his own age with red hair and more freckles than he'd ever seen enter the room, suitcases in hand.

The young man spoke up, "Uh, they said this was my room."

"You must be Peter Fisk, then."

"Yeah, but I go by Pete." He looked down at a letter in his hand. "Are you Samuel Beckett?"

"Yeah, but I go by Sam. Pleased to meet you, Pete." Sam smiled.

"Right back atcha," Pete replied, grinning too.

"So, Pete. Where are you from?"

"Oh, a little town in southeast Indiana. Canaan, Indiana to be exact. My family raises corn and soybeans.

"My family is in the dairy business. So, are you an Ag major too?"

"Yeah. I guess they figure putting the two of us together would give up some common ground."

"Uh huh. Sounds right." Sam noticed that Pete had placed his stuff on the bed and was getting ready to go out the door again. "You have more stuff? I can help you get it in the room."

"OK. I just have a few boxes. Couldn't bring too much on the bus."

Sam helped Pete to get his things into the room. As Pete unpacked, Sam finished what little he had to do, including making his bed.

Pete looked over at Sam's space. "Is that all you brought?"

"Didn't think I'd need too much."

"Are you going to use your bookshelf?

"Don't really need it. I don't keep a lot of books with me."

"Oh, I love to read. My mom says we could open a library with all the books I have."

"I didn't say I didn't like to read. I said I don't keep a lot of books with me."

"Why not?"

"Well, once I read something, I remember it word for word."

Pete's eyes flew open and he looked as though he thought Sam might be pulling his leg. "No way!"

"That's the way it works for me. I have what is called an eidetic memory."

"Wow! Taking tests must be a breeze for you!"

"Still have to know the applications," Sam stated reasonably.

"I suppose so," Pete conceded.

They spent the next hour or so getting to know one another. Sam learned that Pete was the only boy in a family with three sisters, one older and two younger. The two younger ones were twins.

"So, you're in the middle, like me," mused Sam.

"Yeah…I got it from both ends."

"The Law of Sibling Survival."

Sam really liked Pete. They had a lot in common from the standpoint of their farming background and majors. Pete was a genuinely friendly soul who didn't like to play loud music or stay up all night. Neither of them "did" drugs. Pete wasn't into sports from a player's standpoint, but loved to watch basketball. He was intrigued, though, with Sam's interest in martial arts.

"I'd really like to learn something in that area. Judo, Karate, something like that. What do you do?"

"I've got black belts in Tae Kwon Do and Karate. I'd like to get to know more about Judo, sabatt, and mu tai though."

"Why do you need to know so many?"

"It's not that I need to know any," Sam reasoned, the look on his face thoughtful. "But each one has subtle and some not so subtle differences. It's in seeing the similarities and differences in things that ideas are born. Also, I find martial arts feed the soul. It provides a way to quiet the mind as well as to stimulate it."

"That's pretty deep. I'd just like to learn how to defend myself," Pete had replied, grinning broadly.

They had unpacked and both were getting rather hungry. Checking their new student packets, they learned where the student center and the cafeteria was. They locked up the dorm room and headed over. Sam noticed on one of the bulletin boards, a notice offering free classes in Judo at the gym. He pointed it out to Pete. Since both of them had Tuesday nights at 6:00 p.m. free, they decided to sign up together.

Sam thought to himself that any day when one made a friend was a great day. They continued into the cafeteria to continue their getting to know one another over what they hoped would be a good meal.