“Rhoda, would you wait outside for us?” The dean came around her desk and took me by the arm. “I know you’re upset. Artists are sensitive about their work. We’ll work out something. Come on, come out here and wait in the outside room.” She led me through a door and sat me down by her secretary’s desk. She patted me on the shoulder. She patted me on the head. “I didn’t see it,” she said, “but I wish I had.”

She went back into the office, leaving the door ajar, and I heard her ask the other girls to promise to submit future skits in writing before they were performed before an audience. The president and the panhellenic representative were satisfied but I was in a funk. I moped around all day and cut my classes. In the late afternoon I went for one of my long lonely walks. I walked past the Tri Delt house and thought about going in to see if May Garth wanted to swallow some iodine or get drunk but I didn’t even feel like having May Garth for company. I wanted to wander around alone and figure out why every time I was happy something terrible happened next.

That Saturday I agreed to go with Hap Dumas to a football game. After all, a good-natured boy who loved me was better than no boyfriend at all.

We ran into May Garth at the game. She was with her cousin Sheffield Catledge from Guntersville. “Hi, Rhoda,” she called out, stooping before I even came in range. “Come here a minute. Come meet my cousin Sheffield.” He hove into sight, a good-looking blond boy about her height. He was carrying two hot dogs and shook his chin at me to make up for not being able to shake hands. “Sheffield is down for the weekend from Sewanee,” May Garth said. “We’re going tonight to see the Harlem Globetrotters. He just got here last night. He’s going to stay all weekend.” She was ecstatic to have her cousin there. I guess it was the first time she had had a date all year with a boy as tall as she was. He smiled and looked straight at me. A very fine good-looking boy to squire her around all weekend. I was glad for her. Hap began to talk to Sheffield about people he knew at Sewanee and I complimented May Garth on her outfit. She was wearing a pale gold suit with a matching blouse and a pillbox hat. I looked down at her feet. She had on heels. Not three-inch heels like everyone else was wearing, but at least they were heels.