You will find short stories on this site. Most are autobiographical. Some are fiction.

THE NIGHT OF THE ALPHA OMEGA Pi PARTY

The AOPi sorority was, in my opinion, one of the best sororities on the University of Oregon campus. The Beta house, where I lived, was across the millrace from the AOPi house. The Betas were known as a party house. A few years after I left the Beta house, it was shut down, banned by the University, for the bad behavior of its members. It was an ironic juxtaposition of these two Oregon’s “Greeks”, so close geographically and so far apart academically. One would think that the girls of AOPi would have had nothing to do with the Betas.

I was in my junior year. It was winter term 1960. I had switched my major from psychology to architecture. The demands of the architecture program, together with my working two jobs, left me little time for socializing. That didn’t keep me from appreciating women. There were several coeds I had met on campus, who I thought were especially attractive. I never had the time, nerve or cash sufficient to ask one out. Jackie LeDoux, an AOPi, was one of these.

One of the big social events of the year was the AOPi house party and dance. A few of my fraternity brothers, who dated AOPi girls, had received invitations. These were a coveted prize. Then, much to my astonishment, an invitation came to me. It was an invitation to the AOPi party night. It was from Jackie. I couldn’t believe it. I was elated. I didn’t think she knew I existed and yet here in my hand was an invitation she sent, inviting me to be her date at her sorority party.

A fraternity brother and long-time friend, Tom, was also invited. He planned a pre-party dinner at his family’s palatial home. Tom’s dinner was first class, featuring a lovely meal with ample wine followed by a snifter of brandy. I felt that Jackie and I were getting along fine despite the fact that I was a bit awe struck by my being her date. After dinner, we rode with Tom back to the sorority. When we arrived, Jackie excused herself to go up to her room to “freshen up”. I went into the party room. A small band was playing. Couples were dancing or sitting at small tables, as in a cabaret. I found a couch at the back of the room and waited. Eventually, one of Jackie’s sorority sisters came to tell me that Jackie was not feeling well and needed to rest. I was feeling a little inebriated and presumed that she was also. I continued to wait, hoping she would recover and join me. I don’t remember doing it, but, I went to their guest bathroom.

I woke, or rather regained consciousness, sitting in a toilet stall, in total darkness. My pants around my ankles and vomit on the floor in front of me. In the distance, I could hear the angelic sound of women’s voices singing and laughing. After a minute, when I realized where I was, I pulled up my pants and carefully stepped out of the stall. A bit of light, from a distant street lamp, found its way in through an ivy covered window. It was enough light for me to find the light switch near the door. As I reach for it the thought came to mind “One of Jackie’s sisters came in here to turn off this light. Did she look further? Did she open the toilet compartment door and see me and my mess?” I went to the stall. Seeing the vomit on the floor, I panicked. I was in a sorority after closing. I had defiled their guest toilet. “I have to get out of here.” I thought. and yet “I can’t leave their room like this.” Using toilet paper and paper towels I cleaned it up. I stepped out of the powder room. The party was over. The sorority was dark. My wonderful date with Jackie had evaporated like a sweet dream when I wake too soon. I found the front door and snuck out, undetected. I walked over the bridge to the Beta house and went to bed.

The following morning at breakfast, some of my senior fraternity brothers were talking about their panty raid on the AOPi house which had occurred after the girls had gone to their sleeping porches. My brothers laughed that their elaborate scheme to gain entry into the locked sorority through a second story window, was unnecessary because the front door was miraculously left unlocked. One of them mused, “It was as if they wanted us to come back. Haha”. I said nothing.

Jackie would have known of my having spent the evening passed out on the powder room toilet. Nor would she have known that I was responsible for the front door being unlocked. Now, I wish I had called her. I didn’t. I was not sure whether she had left because she was too intoxicated or because she was bored with her date. I was embarrassed for both of us. If I had seen her again, she might have asked what I did that evening. I couldn’t bear to tell her where I had spent the night of the AOPi party.

END