Tee Hee

When I applied for university housing, way back when, I remember selecting as my first choice one of the freshman high-rises. They had sort of a bum rap — sardine cans of clueless freshmen, essentially — but I'd had a great experience in a high-rise at GHP and thought it'd be a bonding experience. I've since heard from others that it did help them integrate and make proper friend groups that have lasted well past university.

One of my other choices (there were three blank lines to fill in) was Mary Lyndon, selected sort of at random from UGA's website.

That summer, at a pool party, I met a really hot guy who was apparently going into his second year at UGA. "What dorm will you be in?" I asked. "Mary Lyndon!" Thought I: DAMN. There's a chance, though, right?

The chances were minimal. Everybody got put into the high-rises because they didn't get into all the other dorms on campus.

Not a month later, the phone rang, and — like one of those crisp scenes recorded in HD forever — I remember the conversation exactly.

"Hi, I'm phoning from UGA's housing department. We've had some sort of a mix-up and can't seem to find the form where you indicated your housing preferences! I'm so sorry we've left it this late to contact you! I'll do my best to place you in your first choice. So sorry. So... what was your first choice?"

"Mary Lyndon."


It was an easy lie. And bless her, that lady DID allocate me into Mary Lyndon.



Only now, 8 years later, did it occur to me what incredible consequences my flash of a lie might have had on the rest of my life. Who knows? Maybe if I had been in one of the high-rises, I wouldn't have walked out on UGA after two years; I might have chosen different majors; I might have made a lot of different choices in a lot of different ways.


I, for one, am laughing about it.