Leigh Anne's recollection

For our first Christmas together Leigh Anne gave me a photo album that contained every piece of memorabilia from out first few months together (from movie ticket stubs to concert programs to dried pieces of the roses I gave her). Along with photos from our lives she also wrote this brutally honest account of how we first met. 

We moved back to school on the 24^th of August. Since school started on Wednesday the 27^th, I guess we met on either the 25^th or 24^th. I don’t remember whether it was the Monday or Tuesday. Joshlyn had come to my room around 10:00 p.m. to see Shannon, and we all started chatting. I mentioned that I was starving, and Josh told me that she had just taken a huge load of KFC chicken to the guys up in room 305. I asked who lived there, and she told me, “Paul lives there. Tell him that I sent you for chicken.” I was really embarrassed, and I didn’t want to go. I thought that it would be rude. But Joshlyn stood her ground and said, “Leigh Anne, I will kick your butt if you don’t go get some chicken. I’ll be up there in a minute. Just tell them that I sent you for some.” So off I went. I remember that I was very nervous. I knocked on the door, and I heard Paul’s voice say, “Come.” I peeked my head around the door and said, “Do I smell chicken?” which I thought would be funny, since I obviously could not smell cold chicken from the second floor. I remember that no one laughed, and I was disappointed. Paul only said, “You do indeed” and he told me to come in. I actually don’t remember Jay very much. I do, however, remember that Paul went back into his room, and I ended up talking to Jay all alone. It ended up that I was sitting curled up in the chair, and he was lying on the couch. I ate a chicken leg. We chatted a little, and then James came in. Others came in as well. I think Robin was there, and Brooks. I remembered Brooks from our Honors English class. I didn’t know her well at all, and I felt a little strange, because I didn’t know what to say to her. I can always just flirt with guys, but girls require actual conversation, and I always found that harder to do. Then James started in on his baby jokes. He asked me if that was offensive, and before I answered he changed “baby” to “fetus” and started in on his jokes again. I remember that I laughed until I almost couldn’t breathe, which was fine, because then I didn’t have to talk. Jay kept asking me if I was going to come back, and I said that I would come back for lobster risotto. I remember I said lobster risotto because I had just read a book called Diary of a Mad Bride, where a bride wants to serve lobster risotto at her wedding, but can’t afford it. I guess it just stuck in my brain. I assumed that Paul had chosen his roommate, and so I figured that since Paul was very smart, his roommate and friends must be smart as well-for Paul never struck me as one to tolerate stupidity. I remember that I wanted them to think that I was smart as well, but I wasn’t quite sure how, because my smarts ware more along the lines of “I’m-going-to-raise-better-children-than-you-are” kind of smarts, instead of the book smarts that college students tend to prize. However, I had just been reading my word power book, and I had learned some really nice, big words. So I decided to use them. I just had to sit back, (and keep my mouth shut, lest someone think that I was ditzy, for I am a little flighty) and wait for the opportune moment to casually drop a big word. The time came when James said this wonderful word that I happened to love, and unfortunately few people use. “I love that word!” I almost shouted. “I never hear anybody use it.” So then I was able to steer the conversation to favorite words, and I could drop my pearls, such as “sycophant” and “ubiquitous.” To my shock and amazement, every guy in that room knew the meaning of the word “ubiquitous.” “Holy $#*!,” I said to myself. “I am in way over my head.” That night, after going back to my room, I pulled out my Word Power book and started reading.