The Rules of Attraction

LAUREN Conroy, who I bump into at the American Cartoon Exhibit in Gallery 1, asks why I wasn’t at the tutorial last Saturday. No use arguing. “I was in New York,” I tell him. He doesn’t care. I’m with Franklin now. Judy doesn’t care. She’s seeing the Freshman, Steve. Steve doesn’t care. She fucked him the night she went to Williamstown. I don’t care. It’s all so boring. Conroy who doesn’t care tells me to tell the other person in class to come on Saturday. It’s some Senior guy. So after I leave a reminder in this guy’s box, Franklin and I go to The Pub and get a little drunk and Franklin tells me what the symbolism in Cujo means and then we go to my room. I have received no mail from Victor. The idea crosses my mind that Victor might just be dead. Conversation I overheard at lunch the other day.

Boy: I think we should stop this.

Girl: Stop what? This?

Boy: Maybe.

Girl: Stop it? Yeah.

Boy: Maybe. I don’t know.

Girl: Was it because of Europe?

Boy: No. I just don’t know why.

Girl: You should stop smoking.

Boy: Why don’t you stop … stop …

Girl: You’re right. It’s not working.

Boy: I don’t know. You’re really … You are pretty.

Girl: You are too.

Boy: The meek shall inherit the earth.

Girl: The meek don’t want it.

Boy: I like the new Eurythmics song.

Girl: It’s the drugs, isn’t it?

Boy: Do you want to go back to my room?

Girl: What Eurythmics song?

Boy: Was it because of who I slept with?

Girl: No. Yes. No.

Boy: The meek don’t want it? What?

I have not painted in over a week. I am going to change my major unless Victor calls.