The Road Not Taken: Another Path

Chapter 8

June 15, 1972

It's got to be around here somewhere! thought Sam, rechecking the handwritten note with the number against the map. He slowly drove down the street again, checking the numbers. Nope, not to be found!

He saw a man out in the yard clipping the edging at the sidewalk. Guess it's time to ask for directions! He pulled up to the curb and rolled down the passenger side window.

"Excuse me, sir, but I'm trying to find 1655 Mark Street." The man looked confused. "Here's the note my friend wrote with the address."

The man took the note and looked at it strangely for a moment. Then comprehension dawned. "No, it's 1655 Mary Street. He wrote the Y like a K.

Sam looked at the note again. "Maybe George should be in pre-med rather than engineering! His handwriting is bad enough. Thanks"

"Anytime." The man turned back to clipping his edging.

Sam made the correction and drove over to George's house. He parked along the curb and then got out. He saw his friend get off the front porch swing and walk down to the car. Sam walked to the trunk, opened it and took out his duffle bag.

"I wondered when you'd get here."

Sam shrugged and gave George a lop-sided grin. "Well, I couldn't read your handwriting…went up the wrong street."

"Sorry about that," said George sheepishly. Suddenly, his eyes lit up and a big grin crossed his face. "Hey…I've got a great surprise!"

They started up the walkway towards the house. Sam looked over, and matching the word to the quizzical expression on his face simply said, "What?"

"You know I told you Maggie has a friend, Donna Elesee, over at Lawrence? Well, Maggie asked Donna if she'd like to double date tonight with us. Donna said yes, so you've got a date tonight!"

Sam's face fell a bit. He was rather shy and being set up for a blind date was not what he considered a fun event to contemplate. "Um…Okay…"

"Hey, Beckett, it's not like it's the end of the world!" George shook his head, wondering if Sam ever took his head out of a book long enough to notice the fairer sex. "Donna is a really nice girl and she's pretty too."

They walked into the house and George led Sam to what was obviously the guest bedroom in the back of the house. It was a little more "fu-fu" than the decorating scheme at the Beckett farmhouse, but he'd only be in it for two nights.

Sam figured that since everything was already set up, the best he could do was enjoy the ride. After all, it would only be for one night. He asked what was planned for the evening and George told him they were to pick up the girls at 6:30 p.m. that night. Sam checked his watch. It was going on 3:00 p.m. so they figured they had a little time to kill before they needed to get ready. They went out to George's back yard where his father had laid a half court basketball pad. George and Sam played until 5:00. Sam thought back to the similar games he and his brother Tom had played. He missed Tom.

After getting cleaned up and dressed, they hopped into George's car and drove over to Lawrence College. It was a Catholic girl's school. Maggie was taking her coursework in English Literature as she planned to teach. She had a professor by the name of Gerald Bryant who she said was a real scumbag. It was known across the campus that one of his students, Jamie Lee, was having an affair with him. It didn't portent to end well.

Her friend, Donna, was a physics major but they had met in Dr. Bryant's class. Even physics majors had to take English Literature. Heck, thought Sam ruefully, even Ag majors had to take English Literature. Donna was a year ahead of Sam in school although she was only about eight months older than he. George had told him that she worked at the Rothskeller, the restaurant on campus as a waitress. Sam was a bit nervous. He hadn't had extensive experience in dating, spending most of his spare time either playing basketball, studying, or practicing piano. He noticed his hands getting a bit moist and rubbed them on the thigh of his pants.

They stopped at the desk in the lobby of the dorm and informed the student aide that they were there to pick up Ms. Jenkins and Ms. Elesee. The aide called up to their rooms to inform them that their dates were waiting. About five minutes later, the two women came down the stairs. Sam had met Maggie at one of the basketball games earlier that year so he assumed that the other woman was Donna.

He was struck, literally struck, by her beauty. Donna's face was oval with a medium complexion. She had on makeup but it was subtle, the tan eye shadow and light mascara highlighting her chocolate brown eyes. Her naturally red lips were lightly glossed and when she smiled, he saw perfect, brilliantly white teeth. She was wearing a mint green turtleneck sweater without arms and a green and white bias plaid skirt with a coordinated belt. Her dark brown hair was lightly curled and cascaded down her back. The front had been pulled back and was held with a ribbon, which allowed her ears to show. She wore simple pearl earrings. Her only other jewelry was a plain gold watch.

George spoke up. "Donna, I'd like you to meet my buddy and basketball teammate, Sam Beckett."

Donna put her hand out "Pleased to meet you, Sam."

George completed the introductions by informing Sam of what he already knew, "Sam, this is Donna Elesee, Maggie's friend.

Sam took Donna's hand as he looked into her eyes. And what eyes they were. He felt he could get lost within them. "Uh, pleased to meet you as well, Donna." Oh that name! From his study of ancient languages, a hobby of his, he knew it was Latin for "lady." It certainly fit her. He loved the sound of it.

"George tells me you're studying agriculture?" Donna asked with utmost politeness.

"Yeah, my family has a dairy farm in Elk Ridge, Indiana. I plan to work it with my Father once I graduate."

"Sound's very…pastoral."

"Well, it's a lot of work. There are the cows, of course. But we also grow corn and hay for the animals to eat over the winter when there's no pasture for them. And, we have some vegetables that we grow for personal use. Some other livestock as well."

"I see."

"George said that you are studying physics."

"Yes. It's a fascinating subject. I'm interested in understanding how our world works."

"I had considered that field myself. I've read everything Einstein has ever written as well as Newton, Fermi, Oppenheimer, Bohr, Heisenberg, Maxwell, and most of the other leading researchers."

"You've read all that and you're not a physics major? Why?"

"I'm interested in the working of the world as well. I used to think a great deal about the implications of Quantum Physics and Special Relativity on the concept of space-time."

"Really!" Donna smiled. This guy that Maggie had begged her to go out with was much more than the "cute guy" that Maggie described. Donna had expected a strapping hayseed from the Indiana countryside. She'd only agreed to go because Maggie was such a good friend and this friend of George's would only be visiting a couple of days. She knew that Maggie wanted to be with George and that meant finding a date for Sam Beckett. Now, here he was spouting a love for physics that certainly rivaled, if not exceeded, most physics majors.

Sam had continued speaking about his interest in physics. "I especially am concerned with the incompatibles between the two great theories. It just doesn't seem right that one theory so fully describes the macro world and the other the micro world but both are fundamentally at odds with each other."

Wow. This guy really knows his physics! Many physics majors glossed over that and here he was getting to the heart of the greatest debate in physics history right off the bat! Donna smiled, "Yes. That's such an exciting area. I, myself, am interested in working in the area of Quantum Physics. I plan to go to graduate school when I finish here at Lawrence.

"Where?"

"Well, I'm hoping Caltech."

"I hope that works out for you." Sam was smiling.

"Uh, guys…" Maggie broke in.

Sam realized that from the moment he and Donna had started talking, the world had become simply the two of them. Now, Maggie had pulled him back to the larger reality. He blushed. "Yeah?"

"We really need to get going. Our reservations are for 7:00 p.m."

Sam couldn't remember going out with anyone who made him feel the way that Donna made him feel. She was smart, beautiful, and had a sense of humor that put him at ease. He was happy when George suggested going to the Rothskeller for lunch the next day since Donna would be working. They had arrived at Lawrence College at noon and picked Maggie up at her dorm. Walking to the little restaurant was pleasant.

On the way over, Sam asked George if he'd mind not hanging out with him that night. He wanted to ask Donna to a movie. George had looked over to Maggie and both smiled at each other and Sam realized that this weekend had been a conspiracy by both of them.

"Actually, Sam, I was sort of hoping you'd say that. When I told Maggie about you loving physics so much, even though that's not your major, she thought that Donna and you might hit it off. I'm glad it worked out."

"Thanks both of you for thinking about me. Donna is great."

As they walked into the eating area, they saw a number of black light posters on the wall. They glowed and provided the room with a bit of youthful attitude.

Sam, George, and Maggie were seated at a table toward the center of the room. They checked their menus. Sam ordered a Coke, cheeseburger (medium rare, hold the tomato, and extra onions) and fries. Maggie chose a salad and George had a patty melt with a Coke and fries. Sam noticed that Donna was again well coordinated with a black low cut shell that showed just a bit of cleavage and black and white skirt with matching sweater.

The food was brought to the table and Sam asked when Donna would be getting off work.

"I have the 11 to 5 shift today."

"Would you like to go to a movie or something?" Sam was amazed. His shyness didn't seem to be holding him back at all.

"Yeah, that would be nice." Donna's smile lit up the room from Sam's perspective.

"Okay, would six 'o'clock be good? Pick you up at your dorm like last night?"

"That would be perfect." She noticed that she had several other customers who had walked in. "Uh, excuse me, but I need to get back to work. I'll see you tonight."

"Sure." Sam felt good. He was really looking forward to the movie.

He picked her up as agreed and they went to see the Poseidon Adventure. Both had found the movie to be entertaining, even if the storyline was a bit unbelievable.

It was after the movie, over coffee and pie in the local diner, when they had really hit it off. They had discussed mathematical proofs and some of the leading edge concepts in Physics research. Sam was ecstatic that this woman with such a beautiful mind and he were getting along so well. It was after midnight when the waitress had let them know the café would be closing.

Sam drove Donna back to Lawrence and walked her back to her dorm. He asked her if he could write her and when she had said yes, he felt all was right with the world. He asked if he might kiss her and she shyly gave her consent. He took her chin in his hand and their lips met. It was like electricity. As they both pulled away, Sam looked into Donna's eyes.

"Thank you." She looked back at him, a question in her eyes. "Thank you for agreeing to last night and for letting me take you out again tonight." She smiled.

"It was my pleasure. I look forward to your letter." She then gave him a final kiss on his cheek and turned to walk into the dorm.

Sam watched, smiling, as she walked past the desk to the staircase, looking back at him and giving him a small wave. Then she disappeared around the corner, and was gone from sight. With a grin, Sam turned to walk back to his car with a feeling in his heart that felt like he could burst into song at any moment.