Forbidden University

1 Melanie couldn't believe she had finally made it to campus. The ride with her parents from their farm just outside of Des Moines, Iowa all the way to Phoenix, Arizona was all kinds of hell. The three of them cramped in her father's old pickup truck. He spent most of the drive complaining about the high gas prices and the other drivers' speeds (they all went too fast, according to her dad). Mostly, however, her parents complained about her choice in schools. "Cactus State University, I just can't believe it," her mom would say every time there was a lull in the conversation. "Mom, I'll be fine," Melanie responded. "Well, your father had a great time at Iowa State, and besides, Ames is less than a half an hour from us," her mom said. More silence. Melanie looked out the window at the other cars on the interstate as they whizzed by her father's old truck. He's been going 55 miles an hour for the entire drive - and the speed limit in the desert is 80! She had thought, frustrated. Now that her parents were gone and orientation was starting, she actually found herself missing them. She would be sure to call later that evening to tell them how her first official day as a college student was. Melanie wasn't like most of the kids at Cactus State. She was an Iowa farm girl after all, very active in her church's youth group back home and she had dated the same boy for the past two years. They kissed once - during the final slow dance at prom. Conor was accepted on a football scholarship to Iowa State - which made the decision to go to Arizona all the more difficult for Melanie. Before she left home Conor expressed his concerns about her decision. "You know Cactus State is a party school, right?" He asked, worriedly. "That doesn't mean anything, if you don't like to party," she reassured him. "Online it's nicknamed 'Forbidden U', I watched some videos about it. Kids there are crazy - just promise me you'll be safe." Conor was so cute when he was worried. She held his hand tightly as they discussed his concerns for a few more minutes. But now she was here. In the heart of the beast: Cactus State University, or apparently as the internet liked to call it, "Forbidden University". It didn't seem nearly as scary as her parents and her boyfriend made it sound. In fact, the campus was beautiful - located just north of Phoenix. It would be sunny almost year-round and after spending her entire life in Iowa: cold (in the winters) and corny (in the summers). Melanie was looking forward to the change of weather. So far the students and faculty all seemed very friendly too - just as friendly as any other place she had ever been. Of course, the only place she had ever been was with her family on their annual vacation to Disneyland. She loved all things Disney and fantasized she was Ariel from The Little Mermaid. Her father sometimes called her "Airy" because of her long, auburn hair - which became a bright red color in the hot summer sun. Her parents and brothers all said she should compete in the local beauty pageant because the winner got a one hundred dollar scholarship and a chance to go on to the beauty contest that was held each year at the Iowa State Fair. Melanie didn't think she could win any contest - sure she was attractive and fit, but her freckles and button nose had always made her self-conscious as she scrolled through the flawless models she followed on i********:. The one thing she did notice during her first day on campus was that the boys at Cactus State seemed pretty interested in her - despite her conservative attire. Maybe I am prettier than I realize. She wondered as she walked to meet her Academic Adviser for the first time. She was excited to meet him: Dr. Armando Dickson Fontaine. He was the reason she decided to make the long move from Iowa to Arizona after all. She never let on to her parents - and especially to her boyfriend Conor - about her interest in Dr. Fontaine. Her interest in the professor was strictly academic. She considered him to be one of the greatest living poets of our time. Discovering one of his books at the library when she was just nine years old, Melanie had grown to be a "super fan" - if poets can have "super fans", that is. He was much older than her, but that didn't stop her from falling in love. She had designed a handmade poster of him for her bedroom wall when she was eleven. She used a picture she carefully cut from the back of one of his poetry chapbooks. She told Conor that it was her "vision board" - she just needed to visualize a great poet if she were ever to become one herself. When she started looking for colleges at the end of junior year she couldn't believe her eyes: Dr. Fontaine had moved from his native Spain to America to accept a teaching position in the English Department of Cactus State University. She immediately knew she must plan on moving west and chase her dreams to study under the "greatest living poet". Melanie swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to calm the butterflies she felt in her stomach as she opened the door to the English building. She was ten minutes early for her appointment with Dr. Fontaine, but she found herself rushing down the hallways to find his office. When she reached the door she checked her syllabus and new student orientation pack three times - just to make sure she was at the right office. It was Office #304-A. She decided to knock to show her professor her punctuality, rather than to wait for eight more minutes until their prearranged meeting time was to begin. "Just a few minutes," an older voice responded through the door. It was the same voice she had listened to for hours on YouTube, as devouring interviews and poetry readings by the older man had become her primary hobby over the past few years. She sighed and held her orientation pack close to her chest. Without thinking, Melanie fumbled to find her cross necklace and placed the thin gold cross in her mouth as she twisted and pulled on the chain. Similar to a child sucking their thumb or having a favorite blankie, she did this necklace sucking action whenever she was deep in thought. "Are you a religious person?" The voice asked. Melanie nearly jumped out of her seat! "Oh, ah, I'm sorry," she said frantically, as she spit the cross necklace from her mouth and quickly fixed her hair and blouse for her hero. The Poet looked down at the cute, nervous waif of a girl sitting in the chair outside his office. She isn't like the other girls here, he observed. "So, are you?" He asked again. "Am I what? I'm Melanie," she said - so nervous she didn't even hear his original question. "I noticed your necklace and asked if you were a religious person," he clarified. "Oh, yes, sir, I am," she said awkwardly, "very much so." Melanie stuck out her hand to shake the professor's. "I am very pleased to meet you. I'll be your adviser this year, my name is Armando." The poet said as she took Melanie's quivering hand in his. "You are nervous?" He asked with a thick Spanish drawl. "Ah, yes, sir. I mean, yes, Dr. Fontaine." She replied. "Please, I like having my colleagues call me Armando." He replied. Melanie: "Of course, Dr. Fontaine," she said nervously. "I mean, Armando." The professor smiled at her adorable nervousness. "Please come inside, this will take just a few minutes," he said as he motioned for Melanie to enter his office. She was breathless as she glanced around the room, studying everything with an intensity that immediately shut out the rest of the world. The walls were lined from floor to ceiling in books - mostly poetry, a lot of philosophy and a surprising amount of history titles as well. He likes history. I must start reading more history books! She frantically thought to herself. Melanie was trying to take mental pictures of every aspect of the room. She had been obsessed with Armando's words for so long now that she thought somehow his office may hold the clues to his brilliance with the written word. She desperately wanted to take out her phone and snap pictures of everything, but she knew (wisely) that would be very, very creepy. I don't want him to think I'm a stalker! She said to herself. Armando watched the strange girl with amusement and bewilderment. Finally he cleared his throat, hoping to make the young student come out of whatever trance she was in. "Oh, I'm sorry, I just love books. You have so many books!" Melanie remarked. "I do, I love books as well. I have many, many books. Too many. Even more at my home here. Even more than that at my home back in Spain. Too many books." He replied, wistfully thinking about his home in the Spanish countryside. "Yeah, but can you ever have too many books?" Melanie asked as she started giggling. When she was nervous, she giggled and when she giggled, she snorted - just like a baby pig. Suddenly she made a slight snort. She was so embarrassed! "I'm sorry, I'm really nervous," she said as another giggle-snort was let out. "It's ok, there's nothing to be nervous about. We will look at your schedule and make sure you know where you are going, what classes you need to be taking to achieve your goals. It's ok to be nervous - a lot of freshmen get nervous on their first day of school." He reassured her. Without thinking, she reached for the gold cross necklace which was resting on her chest. She placed the cross in her mouth and started a slight sucking motion. With her other hand she spun her hair around her pencil and replied, "I'm not nervous about going to school, I love school." "What are you nervous about then?" The confused poet asked. "I am nervous to meet you, Dr. Fontaine." Melanie replied with the cross in her mouth. "Me?" He laughed. "No one is nervous to meet me! I am not mean!" "Oh, no, I don't think you are mean!" She replied quickly, "I am just excited to meet you - I have read all of your books." her voice trailed off. "Ah, my books." He jokingly added, "I didn't know anyone had read any of my books - much less someone your age." "I have loved your books since I was nine," Melanie said confidently. "What is your favorite book?" Armando asked, testing to see if the strange girl was telling the truth, or just pulling his leg. She was very good looking, and this could easily be a sorority prank. Send in a hot girl to pretend to seduce the poet she was a "fan" of. "So," he repeated, "which book of mine is your favorite?" Without hesitation the nervous student replied, "I have read Love In The Age Of s****l Anarchy over one hundred times. It is so beautiful. That is my favorite. But they all are my favorites!" Armando was surprised by her response. His book Love In The Age Of s****l Anarchy was, in fact, his most obscure. It was a chronicle of a love affair he had with a young painter. It was so explicit - even by European standards - that many bookstores in Spain and throughout much of Europe - refused to carry it. How this young girl had ever found a copy was beyond him. "Where did you get a copy of that?" He inquired. "I sent away for it. By mail order," she replied. "It was over two hundred dollars to buy and ship from Spain to my home in Iowa, but I was so excited because it was a signed copy!" Armando smiled as he reached for Melanie's new student orientation pack - he grabbed a pen from his desk and signed the outside of the notebook: Quaerite primum regnum Dei! - Your new friend, Armando He handed the notebook back to his student. With wide eyes, the young woman asked, "what does this translate to?" "That, my friend, is your first official homework assignment!" Armando said with an impish grin. The rest of the meeting was a blur. Melanie listened as Armando explained the importance of grades, what electives she should consider later on and if she had any further questions. She didn't, but she made up a few - just so she could prolong her visit to the poet's office. "Thank you so much for your insight, Dr. Fontaine." She said as their meeting was drawing to a close. "Please," he said as he put his hand on her shoulder, "I really want my friends to call me Armando." "Armando," she repeated back, noticing how genuine his hand felt resting on her shoulder. She closed her eyes to savor the moment. "I want us to be friends, so Armando from now on!" He commanded in a friendly tone. "Deal," she said, holding out her hand to shake his. "Where I come from, we embrace!" He replied as he used her extended hand to bring their bodies together. The hug was warm and genuine and she inhaled his scent, the musky odor of a charming, educated, older poet. She wanted the moment to last forever. As she briskly walked down the hall and towards the building exit she searched for the Google Translate app on her iPhone. She entered in the text Armando had written: Quaerite primum regnum Dei! She selected the "detect language" option, despite guessing it was Latin. She was correct: Latin it was. When translated to English his note read: Seek ye first the kingdom of God! - Your new friend, Armando Melanie held the notebook he had scrawled this on to her nose, hoping to catch any last trace of the poet's scent. Her eyes closed as she leaned against the wall to steady herself. She felt an excited rush surge through her entire body. Thank God I'm at "Forbidden U"! She thought as she left the English building.