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I dragged Cam down to this book launching before he could eat supper. You don't have to come, I lied. OK, he said, shrugging, wherein I promptly panicked and began to wail, independent female that I am, please, please come. I won 't know what to say, I 'll feel stupid. I feel stupid anyway, but, at least, not dangerously so. HE asks he a question and I recall my first and only creative writing course He - accomplished writer and nice person - continues to talk with us or, more accurately, my husband, I stand two feet behind Cam, like an idiot, hoping he'll attribute my red face to the heat (a partial cause) and not to general social awkwardness on my part. He seems generous. While I occasionally stutter in the background, wishing I were a ily on the wall, Cam begins a discourse on literary theory. draft in one hour whilo Shutting to someone on acid. beer. I don't, of course, say anything that interesting. Instead. I splutter a yes, but wand hope my husband Cam will quickly resume the conversation which has centered on Indo-Canadian writers Cam's (barely) read, Meanwhile I ittett1bttyi drinking a pitcher of cheap Jun .'_ --- I 1 'I . . cnea Gran. 'IWc He asks mehif I've taken a course and I 1) I i, longer dr want to tell t e no of wh I don't drink . hem- I dnn't " (In-£1: e,f,.'7...i..'.1fP1 u.-. (pathetic) fool of by Marjorie Fergusson Your full-time Councillor A positive voice . . . . Working for you in Waterloo Re-elect Councillor Waterloo City Region McKinnon Authorized by the CFO for the Joan McKinnon Campaign Ch (ii,ii"i""'_i'lii",i, St Short PLEASE CALL 885-6685 YOU CAN PLAY EUITAR! WINNERSCIRCLE Chii"iiiick Joan s45 l5 6 WEEK INTRO OFFER Call Now For Your FREE INTEBVIEW (pathetic) fool of myself, Why? An image; the professor expounding one sunny afternoon, for reasons long forgotten or, perhaps, never understood (the stuffy room on the 14th floor put me to sleep; I had insomnia), on the lack of originality in a book I had not read - Sophie's Choice. Cam is still talking and I think we should move away from this (very together) person and let other (accomplished) people ..- they all Seem to know him personally - have their conversations. He politely tells us to get lost, urging us to stay for a reading. So we browse through the bookstore or, I browse, Cam reads. Agitated (and regretting my two coffees), I cannot concentrate. I drink some wine, Before we arrived I suggested to Cam we pretend we don't know about any old book launch. Then, in a relaxed manner. we (this means Cam) could casually buy a copy of his new book and, since we'd be there, have it signed. Cam said forget it, He then said, you will ask him to sign the book, not me. We both knew this to be an empty threat. Cam got it signed. He knows I cannot manage certain social situations (my choice is eclectic) due to a moronic shyness and general social ineptitude, I stood five feet away while which led me to drink the pitcher of cheap draft. Two (obvious) consequences: .1) [no .lippsr. drink beer; and 2) I made a Nov.12 If I’m drunk the situation can be completely different. Losing all self. consciousness - instead of being choked by a disproportionate amount - I will tell many people many things. For example, I will tell perfect strangers, that is strangers with whom I have made plans to take acid, why I have been devastated by a professor‘s story. I decided, after this less than satisfactory unburdening, to stumble home (residence) in search of a more receptive ear. Dale, I wailed, as I fell into the couch beside her (she edged away), Dale, do you know Sophie's Choice? Do you know what her Choice was? Forbearance fell through her face - she understood, She'd been drunk. She was sure it was quite terrible and suggested I go to bed. But I wanted to tell her (in a coherent manner) the story, the choice - something I proved incapable of doing. Instead, I bleated Sophie's Choice repeatedly to anyone who was lucky enough to pass through the lounge and people like Brent patted me condescendingly on the back Eventually Dale tired of this (repetitious! scene and led me to my room " vomited later i Cam asked writer who we admire to Slgn C his new book. I was embarrassed when ls y Cam requested he address the book to the me. Writer (logically) was puzzled as to thug why I (stupidlyl hovered in the and background. So I moved closer and Cam hrs continued to make reasonable befc conversation, something I was not can entirely capable of. the The Waterloo Chronicle presents the winning entries in our 2nd Annual Short Story Contest WATERLOO CHRONICLE. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16 g Once a Waterloo resident, Marjorie Fergusson now lives in Montreal, where she's attempting to complete a PhD. in Nutrition at McGill University. So I think of ali thm because. he mun: me whether I'd taken a (MUM .r, creative wrmngl I duint xvii horn naturally. why I dam dunk beer my Ma no one understood the story I mule rwI tell that mum I duin't uh hm: (MPH-r why I, normally a good femnnax. pujed Cam In front of me to talk to hIm MI...) I stood behmd. tonguuned There are ttmes when words an where I mm“! Cmd them Which remmds me, agam, of my Gm professor who asked us 'rhettmcaliy" why the fuss regarding Sophie's Choice? It had been done before and done well, no, better He proceeded try give a brief outline of the plot.chorce sex in Germany dunng the holocaust I became quite ill though this was hardly the professor's obtectove Pmnt was - Professor (with mdngnancw - why thr. big kerflufne, now, over Sophie's Choice? It's not a new horror Hun Cam and I leave before the wading ji, 15 hungry and I do not want to rvbrruv the store I run up and down the mam thigh on caffeine,, retrwvmg our jackitw and knapsack Then I hand Cam um: ,» hrs I say goodbye to the wrlter and before my face can turn red warn and m can remember my name. I dash trut u! the store He, no doubt, thmks I'm strangely fearful Deslnw my fircr In! social Incompetence. I cormder takmp a course he teaches next year Hopefull} by then, I will be a more together person ha ha, and he will have forgotten me OPEN CLASS l, 1991 . PAGE 5