IC-Chapter 1-Never Get Old(Rawlings/Yeager/Bill Johns/Jim)

[Mr. Handy]

Mary gave Jim directions to the frat house before he left.

"Well, I'm going to go get dinner," said Jill. "Anything you need from me before I go?"

OOC,[b]Jim[/b], you are moving to the thread linked below. [b]Bill[/b], you remain in the current thread.

Growin' Up

[Philulhu]

"No, I don't think so," replied Bill. He watched as Jill left and turned back to Mary. "You not hungry?" he asked.

[Mr. Handy]

"Oh, Jill's going to go get some takeout food for both of us," said Mary. "Have you eaten yet? Would you like something too?"

[Philulhu]

"Umm, yeah, if you're sure," said Bill, smiling. "I came here straight from the station and I shouldn't think I'll be done this side of midnight, so something to eat would be good, thanks."

[Mr. Handy]

"No problem," said Mary.

"I'll bring back dinner for three, then," said Jill. "Hope you like Chinese food. See you in a little while." She left the dorm room, closing the door behind her.

[Philulhu]

As the door shut behind him, Bill started to feel uneasy. Being alone with Mary would have been everything he wanted but now the difference in their ages made him uncomfortable. He wanted to tell her who he was, but he couldn't.

He sighed and looked around the small room. "So," he said, "What are studing at university?"

[Mr. Handy]

"History and anthropology, mainly," Mary replied. "I've always said that if we want to understand where we're going, we need to understand where we came from."

Bill recalled that these were in fact Mary's interests. Though they hadn't had any classes together during their freshman year, which was before they had met, they had taken several history classes together starting in their sophomore year in the fall semester of 1969.

[Philulhu]

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," quoted Bill. "I saw that at Auschwitz," he continued, thinking back to a trip he'd taken around Europe in the 90's. He looked up and smiled grimly, "It was a lot easier to get around after the Berlin Wall came d..." He stopped, catching himself suddenly, realising that he wasn't concentrating on where - or when - he was.

[Mr. Handy]

Mary frowned as her brain registered and processed every word Bill said. "But Auschwitz is in Poland," she said. "How could you have been there? It couldn't have been during World War Two, as the Soviets liberated it, and they haven't exactly let go of it since. And I'd think that travel in Eastern Europe would have been harder, not easier, since the Berlin Wall was built."

[Philulhu]

"S-Sorry," stammered Bill, realising what he had said. "Forget I said that, ok? There's just some things I can't talk about." He looked around, the room suddenly seeming much smaller. "I couldn't trouble you for a glass of water, could I?" he asked Mary.

[Mr. Handy]

"Sure, no problem," said Mary. She went over to the sink and filled a cup with water, looking back at Bill over her shoulder. "I guess you were some kind of secret agent or something back in the early days of the Cold War, huh? Maybe even during World War Two, back when the CIA was called the OSS." She smiled and handed him the drink. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

[Philulhu]

"Thanks," replied Bill as took the cup. He sipped the water and smiled ruefully. "One day, everyone will know, but for now... ...." He paused and looked out the window, gathering his thoughts.

He looked back at Mary and with a conscious effort to change the subject, asked her what she planned to do when she finished college.

[Mr. Handy]

"I've been studying history and anthropology, mainly," said Mary. "I'm planning to get a job teaching after I graduate. There aren't too many other lines of work that call for my field of study."

[Philulhu]

OOC,[i]Does Bill recall what happened with Mary after college?[/i]

[Mr. Handy]

OOC,Yes, [b]Mary[/b] did become a history teacher after she graduated. Your memories of that are very clear.

[Philulhu]

"I'm sure you'll make a fine teacher," replied Bill. "Do you have a favourite era of history that you study?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank you," said Mary. "I'm particularly interested in Ancient Greece. It's at the root of our modern civilization."

[Philulhu]

"Not somewhere I've had the opportunity to vist," said Bill, thinking that his last visit to Europe had been a damp week at EuroDisney enlightened with indifferent Gallic hospitality, "Have you had a chance to go?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Me?" said Mary. "No, I haven't really had much chance to travel, but I'd like to someday. I also want to learn Greek first. I'm taking a class on it in the fall semester."

[Philulhu]

OOC,[i]Umm, scratching my head a bit here. Not sure if I'm asking the wrong questions or just killing time until something happens? :([/i]