The Dorm A novel by Robert Helliger

The Dorm was a place that Eleanor Parker dreamed of going to. She glanced at the watch. By 8:00 AM, on Monday morning, the New York sky was blue...and warm. And the meeting would be 9:00 AM, an hour later...with her Mom, as well as Miss Schaeffer, the Dorm house mother. *** The old grandfather clock tolled nine. Eleanor was dressed formally. She wasn't sure what the dress code was. But, to her, the darkness of the Dorm was now illuminated by lamps. She had long, black hair, blue eyes, and was petite. Her face was young; her visions of the future would be at the Dorm itself. Seconds passed. Miss Schaeffer smiled. 'Come inside'. Eleanor watched the creamy colored door; the door closed gently behind her. 'You're early', she said. 'Yes. We live in Lower Manhattan, and the traffic is dreadful', Eleanor explained. She sat on the gray chair. For some reason, the other bad girls were being yelled at by their parents; Eleanor's parents were deeply conservative. They attended the Synagogue every Sunday morning. As Eleanor's Mom relaxed, she smoked a cigarette. 'I want my daughter to be educated. And the Dorm was the best place to go to'. 'At the Dorm, we offer excellence', Miss Schaeffer said. And they all smiled. *** Page 1. Page 1.