The academic part of the academic trip started the next day. (You can read about the trip up here.) I know we visited a few locations around Albuquerque, but I only remember the part when we visited the Medical School at the University of New Mexico.
We got to tour the facilities. We went into one room and they had a brain in there. AN ACTUAL HUMAN BRAIN! The tour guide picked it up like it was no big deal. Someone asked where they got the brain. They explained that many people donate their bodies to science when they die. One of the boys made a comment that the brain reminded him of the mushrooms he had eaten on a pizza the night before. Very soon after, one of the girls rushed out of the room. It was apparent that she couldn't bear the sight of a brain outside someone's body. She would make a terrible zombie.
One of the interesting things about the medical school at the time was that they would only have students from New Mexico there. One would think that they would have students from all over thew world, but they limited it to students within the state, with a few exceptions for those who come from locations that lacked medical schools.
We ate dinner at a restaurant that night. I now have to tell you about one of my crushes. Her name was Traz. She was a senior. I knew that she was the top student in her class. I also knew that she was in Student Council. She was kind of one of the main reasons I wanted to get elected to the Council. The year before, several members of the Council came to the junior high school. She was one of them. She caught my eye right away. She had long, dark blonde hair. She was smart and beautiful. She was my dream woman.
However, I didn't think she knew I existed. At the restaurant, I was surprised to find myself seated next to her. Her mother had also come along on the trip as a chaparone and was sitting on her other side. Some of us were planning to go see a movie that night and this was being discussed at the table. All of a sudden, Traz turns to me and talks to me like we've been friends forever. She told me about how, when her family went to the movies, they always arrived late and would stay through to the next show to see how the movie began. For a long time, she thought this was how you went to see movies.
I didn't try to "hang out" with Traz for the rest of the trip like I did with Dayz, but when there were opportunities, I would try to find myself next to her. This same pattern of her talking to me from time to time continued.
The movie I went to see that night was "Silent Scream." I didn't really want to see it, but it was the only movie people were going to that I hadn't already seen. There were four of us who went. I don't remember what everyone else went to see, but "Silent Scream" really stunk. Little did I know that it was the part of the beginning of a trend of "Mad Slasher" movies that would dominate the box office during my high school years. The only good thing about it is that it didn't spawn any sequels. (Traz was not among our group at that movie. I would have liked it a lot more if we were sitting together and she covered her eyes on my shoulder during the "scary" parts.)
The next day, I know we went somewhere educational in the morning, but I don't remember what. In the afternoon, we went to Coronado Center, the largest mall in the state. But there was a design flaw: No public rest rooms. I don't know if the anchor stores had rest rooms, but the only public bathroom I could find was in Burger King.
I've tried to avoid writing about going to the bathroom, but this story is kind of funny. I REALLY needed to go #2, so I went to Burger King. There was a sign on the door that said it was for customers only, but I didn't have time to go order food. I just went in. No one stopped me.
Inside was one stall and one urinal. I did my business and then noticed there was no toilet paper. I thought, "Okay, this isn't a problem. I'll just use a paper towel." I opened the door to the stall and the first thing I saw was an electric hand dryer. I immediately knew that there were no paper towels. I didn't know what to do. I then saw a strip of unused toilet paper on the floor. (At least, I hope it was unused). Yes, I had to resort to using that strip of paper to wipe myself.
This was in 1980. When I visited Coronado Center in 1984, I saw a sign surrounding construction that said they were putting in public restrooms. WHY DID THIS TAKE SO LONG?
The rest of the trip wasn't very memorable, except that while I was at the mall, I bought a vinyl version of The Who's "Quadrophenia." I consider that the greatest album of all time. Unfortunately, I had to wait until I got home the next day to listen to it. I did all I could to keep it intact on the way home.
Traz did not ride home on the bus. I think her mother drove her and some of the students back. I didn't get to spend any more time with her. When school resumed on Monday, things went back to the way they were, with her not noticing me as she walked by me in the hall.
More than a year later, I would occasionally see her come shop in the women's clothing store where I worked. One of those times, she kind of nodded "hi" to me. A few months later, I saw an announcement in the paper that she was getting married. I actually would wind up talking with her mother on several occasions as she worked at the credit union and helped me out in securing loans. I never asked how Traz was. I figured she got plenty of that from everyone else she talked to.
Per usual, I was able to kind of track her down on the Internet. She retains her married name, but I am not able to locate any other information, like what she or her husband does for a living. I can't even figure out what her current address is. I see locations in Artesia, Arizona and Texas, but nothing solid. In the end, it doesn't matter. What matters is that I did get to spend a few precious moments with her as my friend.
No comments:
Post a Comment