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

S A R A H

My acceptance to the University of Pennsylvania’s Master of Architecture program, and to be a student of Louis Kahn, offered an unbelievably wonderful opportunity. I wanted to apply myself fully to the challenging design projects that Kahn assigned. However I was distracted from my education by my wife’s inexplicable behavior, together with the implications of her sexual dalliances. My focus on schoolwork was further derailed by the Thanksgiving revelation of her extramarital sexual exploits, and the resulting break-up of our marriage. My thoughts would cycle through feelings of anger, alternating with depression, to the extent that I was failing to do well in the studio and in my classes. This failure added to my sense of malaise. In addition to being hurt, I was lonely.

I met Sarah, through a mutual friend. She was a lovely, dark-haired Jewish girl from New York. She was also a student at the University of Pennsylvania. I was immediately attracted to her. But what could she see in me? I was an emotional wreck, beside that, I was 29 and she was 19, thought I thought her to be older. But despite that, she saw something in me, for which I am forever grateful. I told her about my failed marriage and my resulting emotional turbulence. She was understanding and supportive. Talking with Sarah relieved the torment I was feeling, she was a life saver. I grew very fond of her. On a hot Spring day, she and I went with friends to cool off at a local swimming hole. Towards the end of the afternoon, while standing shoulder deep in the lake, I gently pushed the straps of her two piece suit down off her shoulders and we embraced with bare chests. It was wonderful to hold her wet and close. That moment set in motion feelings of love in both of us that lead to events of that evening. Sarah came home with me after our swim. We made a simple dinner. She accepted my invitation to spend the night with me. We decided to take a bath before going to bed. My rental house had no shower so we crowded into the bathtub together. While sitting in the tub facing each other. Pointed at my erection she asked, “Do you really want to put that big thing inside me?” I probably answered something stupid like “That would be nice.” Regardless of my inept response, that is what happened. After that night, we spent much of our spare time together, student parties, dinners out, or at home. It was wonderful to be with Sarah, to talk to her, and to hold her. Our love affair washed away the anger and depression I had felt through the Fall and Winter.

Over Spring term several deans of architectural schools came to Penn to interview members of the master’s class who were interested in pursuing a carrier in education. I interviewed with a couple of them. One was the dean of Architecture, at the University of Kansas. I eventually accepted his offer for a teaching position there. The week after I accepted the offer from Kansas I received an offer from Cal-poly at San Louis Obispo. It would have been a nicer place for sure, but I had to follow through with my acceptance at University of Kansas.

I stayed in Philadelphia for a couple of weeks after our Spring term classes at Pen had ended. I asked Sarah to come with me to Kansas with me. She declined. She still had a year to complete her degree. Besides, she was sure that her mother would not approve of her quitting college to live half way across the country with an older gentile. We went our separate ways. She back to New York, and me across the country, eventually to take up my job in Lawrence Kansas.

Sarah and I have remained fond friends over many years and considerable distances. I have sent this story to her and received no reply. I changed her name in hopes that my writing of our love, back in 1969, will not sour her feelings toward me.