The Jimmy Soul Memorial Party

"I don't know, but dozens of groups did."

"Anyway, beautiful music." Carol stood back up. "Looking forward to overhearing a lot more of it this semester."

"Want to come study in here?" Derek couldn't help himself. "You're welcome to use my desk."

"I'm more of a bed-sitter," Carol said. "Is that okay?"

"You're welcome to take that end," Derek said, pointing at the foot of the bed as he retook his perch at the head.

"Thanks!" And she more than happily did settle herself there.

They studied in companionable silence for an hour or so, Carol occasionally expressing pleasant surprise at a vaguely familiar-to-her song that came on, but neither of them saying much and both perfectly comfortable with that. Only a knock at the door broke the spell. "Come in," Derek said and looked up from his book to see who it was.

Carol, from her perch at the end of the bed, nearest the corner of the little room, saw first. "Kent!" she said.

"Hello, Carol." Kent sounded and looked unsurprised to find her there, which in turn surprised Derek. "Hey, Derek," he said.

"What brings you down among the hippies?" Derek quipped, their side of campus being known for the bohemians while Kent's was for the jocks -- which of course meant Kent didn't fit in terribly well on either side.

"Oh, I was in the neighborhood and wanted to see if you're free for lunch on Saturday maybe? I still want to hear all about London and that girl of yours."

"Sure, Kent," Derek said. "I haven't got a lot to say about Gail, but Saturday's fine."

"Great," Kent said. Turning to Carol, he said, "How can you make sense of genetics with this junk in the background?"

"I love it!" Carol said. "I don't know if Doo Wop here told you, but I was thrilled when I saw we'd be floormates."

"Doo Wop?" Kent said, turning back to Derek. "Cute, guys. Real cute. Carol, if you need some proper study space, let me know. I'll even provide some real music." He turned to go. "See you Saturday, Derek?"

"Sure. See you then."

"Provide some real music?" Carol repeated as soon as they were alone again. "What's his problem?"

"Carol, it's none of my business, but have you guys got genetics together?"

Carol nodded. "All the bio majors have to take it junior year."

"Yeah, that's got something to do with his visit," Derek said. "I don't know what exactly, but he was scoping you out for some reason. Competition, you know. Sorry, I know that sounds paranoid."

"It doesn't if you know Kent," Carol said. "You're probably right."

"Sorry you've had to deal with that, then. But I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who's seen that side of him."

"Not even close," Carol. "Listen, on Saturday, he'll probably try to pump you for information on me..."

"My lips are sealed," Derek said. "Unless you want me to make up some nonsense?"

Carol laughed. "Sure, just say we danced all afternoon to your oldies instead of studying. That ought to make him happy!"

"I'd been hoping you'd suggest that anyway!" Derek stood up just as a favorite slowie, "The Glory of Love," came on, and held out his hand for Carol.

"I didn't suggest it!" But Carol couldn't help smiling as she looked up at his hand.

"Come on, this song is perfect for a slow dance. It's the Five Keys."

Carol set her textbook down and peered around the corner. The coast was clear, and the spot alongside Derek's bed was out of sight from the hallway anyway. She took Derek's hand and let him pull her to her feet, and then had to admit that his arms felt lovely around her. "Okay, this is nice," she confessed. "Thanks."

"Always did wish our dances in high school could be more like back in the fifties," Derek said. "So much more romantic."

"I never even went to any dances in high school," Carol confessed.

"I only went to a couple myself. Too loud and crazy, and the music sucked. But on the Saturday night oldies show...I used to listen to it in bed with my headphones, and imagine I was at a real sock-hop, you know? A dance where you actually get to hold your partner...our grandparents knew what was what, you know? So I used to eat my heart out imagining that while all my classmates were dancing to hip hop in the gym."

"Oh, that is adorable!" Carol said. "Silly me, I left my poodle skirt at the drycleaners."

"That's better than trying to wash it yourself. A washing machine can do a real number on felt, especially with embroidery..." He realized too late that he'd taken her comment seriously, and they laughed together.

"That is so cute, that you even know that!" Carol said. "And, the Saturday night oldies show...thanks for sharing that. It's adorable!"

"I'm sure you had your romantic little dreams in high school too."

"I did, of course." Carol tried to think of a PG-rated one she could share, but she couldn't. "I'm really glad to hear I wasn't the only one!" she said instead, and Derek nodded his agreement. As the song came to a close, she hugged him. "Thanks," she said. "Nicest studybreak I've had in quite a while!"

"Couldn't agree more," Derek said. "Listen, want to go to dinner?"

"Oh, I can't, I have a bio study group. And no, Kent isn't invited."

"Good for you!"

"But listen, Saturday nights, I like going to eat in town, just to celebrate the end of the week. If you'd like to join me then?"

"Yes please!" Derek felt like hugging her again, but he contented himself with an eager nod and a smile. "And if you want to come study and listen, my door's open every afternoon before track practice."

As Carol retreated to her own room, Derek's heart was flying. Until he remembered what Kent had said about the guy from Harvard. But then again, Kent's word wasn't worth a damn. Derek couldn't help smiling.

Kent had all night to first panic about Carol and Derek, then content himself with the knowledge that Derek was too shy to make a move and Carol would surely want to leave that up to the man. And what about this party that Derek had avoided asking Nancy to? This would explain all too well why he'd done that, anyway.

First things first, though, Kent still needed to find out just what the story was with that party. Fortunately, he knew just whom to ask -- provided Derek wasn't around for lunch tomorrow. A glance at his journal, where he'd jotted down what he knew of Derek's class schedule, confirmed that Derek had an eleven o'clock class on Friday. Perfect.

The science building was on Derek's side of campus, where Kent rarely ventured for meals -- too many weirdo hippies for his taste -- but a morning in the lab created a good excuse for him to make an exception for Friday lunch, and he arrived just after the first rush when the ten o'clock classes got out. Sure enough, there was Neil at a corner table with a woman Kent didn't know. He was just as sorry to be crashing their party as he figured Neil would be to have him crash it, but all was fair in love and war, after all.

"Hi, Neil. Can I join you?" Kent plopped down around the table's corner from Neil before he could answer.

"Sure, dude," Neil said. "Kent, Karen. Karen, Kent." Then he burst out laughing. "Wow, I hadn't even thought of that."

"Hi, Karen," Kent said, sizing up the plain-looking young woman with straw-colored hair and big ears. Surely this wasn't Neil's latest conquest -- the campus cassanova could do far better than this! Probably he just needed her help with class or something. But never mind that. Turning to Neil, he asked, "So how's the first week of class treating you?"

"The usual," Neil said. "At least it's easy to study when it's so cold out. What else am I gonna do?"

"You Californians!" Karen said. "So wimpy about the weather. You should come to Minnesota sometime."

"Hey, a neighbor!" Kent said. "I'm from Iowa."

"I know," Karen said.

"How?"

"Everyone's heard of you, dude," Neil said.

"Don't I know it!" Kent said, forcing down a smile. "Comes with the territory, everyone always wants something from me." Now he was curious about Karen -- just what was the angle here with the gal he'd never heard of but who knew all about him? "So, you guys have a class together?"

"Accounting," they said in unison.

"And he's a great study partner!" Karen gushed. "We just had our first quiz today and I think I aced it thanks to his help."

Then she wasn't any too bright herself, Kent concluded, not if she thought Neil was a genius. "Congratulations," was all Kent said.

"Thank you!" Karen said. Then she stood up. "Anyone want anything? I really need another sandwich."

"No thanks," Kent said.

"Another diet coke?" Neil asked, handing her his empty glass.

"Well, she's a cutie," Kent said as soon as she was gone, though privately he couldn't imagine what Neil saw in her.

"Excuse me?" Neil laughed, and took off his glasses and offered them to Kent.

"Come on, that's mean," Kent said, though he wholeheartedly agreed.

"That's the point," Neil said. "I needed a date for the Jimmy Somebody Memorial party, and I don't think I could've done better."

"Jimmy who? What party?"

"This track team party that's coming up, first of February," Neil said. "Can't remember the guy's name, but he sang a song about ugly girls. So..." He dissolved into almost girlish giggles.

"So the idea is to invite the ugliest girl you can find." Kent was equal parts disgusted and delighted -- so that was why Derek, with his ever-so-straight ethics, didn't want to go.

"Exactly!" Neil said. "That's why I've been telling Derek he ought to ask Carol."

"I agree!" Kent feigned amusement. "She'd be perfect for that all right."

"But he won't do it," Neil said. "He says he doesn't approve of the party and even if it gets him kicked off the team, he won't go. I keep telling him it's only one party, and she won't mind if it means getting out of the house on a Saturday night for once!"

"Have you told Karen, though?" Kent couldn't help himself.

"Hell no!" Neil looked horrified. "Can't you see how happy she is? I don't want to spoil that! But listen, any chance you can talk some sense into Derek? Track'll be lonely without him."

"I have an idea," Kent said. "We'll see if you can get your fifty-three percent back."

"Fifty-one percent!" Neil laughed. "But thanks!"

"Thanks for what?" asked Karen, who had just returned.

"Oh, just asking a favor for a friend is all," Neil said. "So what did you get for question two again?"

Kent couldn't exactly fault Derek for wanting nothing to do with the party. For all their differences, he did admire Derek's scruples, even if it made him almost too easy to manipulate sometimes.

As he waited for Derek outside the dining hall at lunchtime on Saturday, he went over his options. He really didn't want to have to do this to Derek at all, and especially not to Carol, for whom he had a begrudging respect as a fellow scientist. But she was a serious contender for graduating with the highest bio grades in their class, and he couldn't hope to defeat her if she was dating someone who knew all his tricks.

No, he would just have to see to it that those two did not get together, and ideally he also wanted to demoralize Carol so he could pull ahead of her this semester. But what was his best option for that?

That would be to talk Derek into asking Carol to this stupid party of theirs, Kent thought longingly, but he didn't see how he could make that happen. He knew Derek too well to believe he could ever stoop that low of his own accord. Kent had no doubt he could manipulate him into overcoming that much in some circumstances, but he'd seen enough in Derek's room the other day to know it wasn't a realistic option this time. Derek just had too much respect for Carol. Worse, it might push Derek too far in the other direction and he'd fall in love with the bitch. That was to be avoided at all costs!

What other options were there? Kent could lie to Carol and say Derek had told him he was thinking of asking her, but that was risky as well -- what if she confronted Derek and he told her why he hadn't asked her? That would just make Derek look like a hero and drive her straight into his arms. No, Kent could only think of one option. He had to make Derek ask someone else without letting Carol know what the party really was, then she'd get jealous and problem solved.

As he looked up to see Derek stamping the snow off his shoes, Kent knew he had the winning strategy. It was just a matter of singling out a woman Derek didn't respect and would want to hurt. And Kent knew just who fit the bill.

Of course, he still wanted to know just what Derek's intentions with Carol were in the first place. But that was easier done than said.

"Hey there!" Kent said. "On time for a change!"

"Nice to see you too."

Kent laughed, even though Derek didn't. "I had to say it!" As they took their place in line, he steered things into safer waters to start. "So tell me about this Gail gal."

"She's in her last year studying journalism," Derek said. "Wants to be an international correspondent. And she got off on my accent."

"She said that?"

"She said that. My only regret was Neil wasn't around to see me get the girl for once."

"If he had been there she probably would've fallen for him."

"Yeah, I know," Derek said. "But a guy can dream."

"Speaking of dreams," Kent said, grateful to have confirmed that Derek still had such a low self-image, "I hear you've got a track team party coming up!"

Derek laughed. "Nancy told you about that, did she?"

"Well, she was a little hurt, Derek. She said you had the chance to ask her and you didn't. What gives?"

"What gives is she spent most of last year making me feel like the subject of a Roy Orbison song, and --"

"Who?"

"Never mind." Derek had forgotten how little Kent, a dyed-in-the-wool classical music devotee, knew about rock and roll. "The point is, I'm over her and I like it that way. I mean, it was my own fault, falling for my best friend's girl, but still, she treated me like a toy. That's not going to happen again, thank you very much."

"You know, I think she'd like a peace offering," Kent said.

"We've got nothing to make peace over," Derek replied. "I don't hate her or anything, you know, I just got it through my head that she just doesn't care all that much about me. And that's fine, but why would I want to stick my neck out for her yet again?"

"So you can be friends again?"

"Oh, we are. But the last thing she wants is another reason to be suspicious about me having a crush on her." As they reached the head of the line and went about assembling their lunches, he added, "And you didn't ask me to lunch to listen to me whine about her."

Kent had a few minutes to think about it as Derek threw together a salad at the salad bar (Kent never ate salads). Once they were seated, he went on. "I'm just saying, she's been hinting at wanting to see more of you. She's even asked me about the Valentine's Day dance."

"She certainly doesn't want to go to that with me! Besides, I'm thinking of asking someone else."

"Well, asking her to this party would at least get you guys talking again." Kent decided to pass over in silence for the moment just who that someone else was -- he had little doubt it was Carol anyway. Maybe, Kent thought, he ought to ask Carol first? There was no doubt she'd say yes after all -- who in the entire sciences division would pass up a chance to be his date? But one thing at a time. "Then maybe the way would be clear for you both to go to Valentine's with someone else.

Derek laughed. "I don't know that we've got a whole lot left to talk about, and the way already is clear for Valentine's. But I'll keep that in mind if it'll help get her off your back. Is that the problem?"

"No!" Kent said. "I just find it sad you guys have drifted apart, and I'd like to help."

"If you say so." Derek kept his suspicions to himself.

"In fact," Kent went on, "We're having a floor dinner together tonight, if you want to join us?"

"I've got a prior commitment."

Kent felt his heart flop -- a date with Carol, no doubt! But he knew he mustn't jump to conclusions. "Who's the lucky lady?" he asked. "Is it the same one you're thinking of asking to the Valentine's dance?"

"I'd rather not say for now."

"Come on, you can tell me!"

"I could, but I won't. How 'bout you, got a date yet for Valentine's?"

"That's none of your business."

"Exactly."

It was worth a Hail Mary pass, Kent decided. "Whoever the lucky girl is, why don't you also ask her to this track team party? It seems only natural."

"Eh, I don't want to overdo it," Derek said. "Besides, those team parties are usually pretty lame, we just sit around and drink. Nothing romantic about it. Now, enough about my love life. How was last semester for you?"

As he headed back to his dorm, Derek wondered should he have told Kent just what the track team party was, and why he didn't want to go? He didn't see the harm in Kent knowing, but he'd been avoiding telling anyone because he was so disgusted with the whole operation. Once again he mused, if it bothered him that much, perhaps he ought to just quit the team and be done with it? But the camaraderie, the lively bus rides home from a triumphant meet, the late night dinners on the road -- he sure would miss all that, and it was just one party, after all.

He was nearly home when it occurred to him -- was Kent trying to get him to ask Nancy to the party? The whole idea made him laugh. Maybe Kent finally felt guilty about some of the crap he'd pulled on Derek freshman year, and this was his way of atoning, by helping him get back at Nancy?

The idea did have appeal, Derek admitted. As much as he told himself he didn't hate Nancy, she had used him and neglected him for months, and pushed him away just like Neil had pushed her away when his only crime was caring about her a little more than he should have.

No, he resolved. He wasn't in junior high school anymore, and he would only be sinking to Nancy's level. Besides, he was beginning to think Carol would keep him plenty busy this semester.

At his room door, Derek was getting his keys out of his pocket when he heard a squeal of laughter he didn't recognize. "Hey, Doo Wop!" It was followed immediately by a laugh he did recognize: Neil's.

Derek turned to see Neil's door open and a rail-thin blonde with big ears perched with him on his bed, surrounded by notes and textbooks. He stepped into the room. "Hi," he said. "Karen, is it?"

"Yes, I'm Karen!" She shook his hand and grinned at him. "Hope you don't mind, Neil told me about the 'Doo Wop' thing."

"It's nothing I'm ashamed of," Derek said. "You guys have accounting together, do you?"

"Yes, and it'd be killing me without Neil's help," Karen said. "Thank God he asked me to that party. I'm so glad we got to know each other that first week!"

Derek smiled through his revulsion. "Good for you both," he said.

"You ask Carol yet?" Neil asked.

"I'm having dinner with her tonight," Derek said.

"Oh, that's great!" Karen said. "I got to chat with her a little just before Neil got back from lunch, she's a really nice gal."

"Yeah, she really is," Derek said.

"You are going to ask her to the party, aren't you?" Karen said. "Hey, we could double date! Maybe we could go out for a nice dinner first?"

"I'll think about it," Derek said, turning to go. "Happy accounting, guys."

"You'd better hurry up and ask her, Derek!" Karen said. "A gal like her, someone else'll beat you to the punch if you don't!"

Derek barely managed to keep his cool as Neil laughed uncontrollably at Karen's comment, which mystified her. "Even I didn't think it was that funny, Neil," she said.

After lunch, Kent reviewed what he'd learned. Derek had finally come to his senses for real about Nancy, and there was someone else in the picture now who might be Carol. The idiot had learned enough by now to not play right into his hands anymore, so he would just have to take more drastic measures to get him and Nancy together for this ugly-girls party of theirs.