Rick and I met at Trinity Western University on the first day of “O” week in Langley, B.C. We were in dorms that were paired brother-sister so the new students would have instant friends. It worked! First impressions are not everything in our case, as the things that impressed Rick and I were not destined to knit us together for all eternity. He was impressed that I was a California girl and I was impressed that he admitted being from Wildwood. That was the name of the psychiatric hospital not far from our school. Hmmmmm. Come to find out, there is a small town in Alberta also named Wildwood. Rick and I enjoyed several meals together and toward the end of the week Reeko Suave showed up at my dorm looking for me. Be still my pulsating heart.
A piece of tan-bark hit my third floor dorm window in the middle of a lazy afternoon. My roommate and I both ran to see who it was… and there Rick stood, looking like a hobbit from three stories up. I opened the window, all five safety inches that were provided, and said hello. By this time, I was obviously enamored by his black wavy, shoulder length hair, because his first pick-up line should have been a red flag. Rick yelled, “Hey, Babe, got any laundry detergent?” With eyelashes fluttering, I promised to be right down with the white powdery treasure.
Now, please tell me, what type of guy shows up at college without laundry soap? Or quarters to buy his own little expensive boxes??? I should have caught on, but I was waist high in naivete. I don’t recall Rick ever borrowing laundry soap after that first time, but he did continue throwing tan-bark at my window for the entire year. Was it a presumptuous ploy to spend time with me? Was it a saucy scheme to win my heart?
We’ll never know.
Tags: college, dorm life, first impressions, girl meets boy, laundry, laundry detergent, laundry soap, pick up line, Trinity Western University, twu, university
My Sister's Jar 
March 8, 2009 at 7:10 pm |
I think he was hoping YOU would do his laundry — you know…. like you do now.
March 9, 2009 at 12:42 pm |
Oh my word, I have a gross addendum to this story. It’s almost too gross to tell.
I am married to Rick’s brother Terry. We, too, met in our first year of college and started dating in March. At the end of the semester, I was helping him pack his room up and noticed how gray his sheets looked. I boldly asked, “When did you last wash those?” He got a sheepish look on his face and said, “Christmas.”
That almost did our relationship in. However, he’s swung completely in the opposite direction now and washes our sheets religiously every week — and puts too much fabric softener in the wash for my liking.
I can totally believe that Rick showed up at college without laundry soap.
March 9, 2009 at 12:55 pm |
OK, the sheets…. that’s gross. Glad Terry has reformed.
Rick is still not checked out on our new washing machine.
March 9, 2009 at 1:01 pm |
And can you believe that picture of TWU? It looks so beautiful! I keep reminding myself that the beautiful blue water is the T-dub SWAMP! Goose poop and all.
March 9, 2009 at 1:19 pm |
Jennie – it reminds me of the stories of orphans who get adopted and eat like crazy because they aren’t used to having an abundance of food. Maybe Terry had no soap – really! (unlike Maverick who was just using it as a ploy to lasso his little filly) — and now that he has it….Springtime freshness all the time!! I’m glad to see that he apparently survived the bed bugs too. There really had to be some. That is absolutely disgusting. But equally amazing – is that he does your sheets now. I’m applauding right now…. good job, Terry!
March 9, 2009 at 9:47 pm |
In my own defense: I hardly slept in the bed – this was college for goodness sakes, who sleeps at college, and if you did there was plenty of couches/armchairs to rest the weary head in the apartment or down the hall.
I just past by the SWAMP today, there was no shimmering blue reflection inviting me to take a dip – it was grey and poopy. That picture has to be from the TWU catalogue.
March 10, 2009 at 11:54 pm |
You all crack me up! :)