It was nearly completely dark by the time I finally arrived in the little town of Harlow, just outside the outskirts of campus. All the coffee shops were dark and closed up, but the two dusty, wood-paneled bars on the main street had their lights on. People clustered outside, smoking and chatting. Instantly I began to feel a bit better. Escaping the ghost-town feel of campus was a good first step. Dinner would be an even better next one.
I headed into the closer of the two bars. It was a small, tight space that somehow managed to fit a dance floor, a string of booths, and a bunch of high seats at the bar itself. I settled myself in one of the latter. The bar was crowded, full of loud, boozy conversation. A few people were dancing badly with their friends. It was a mix of students, facult
