When is old school just old-fashioned?
The prompt is:
ENTRANCE INTERVIEW
Sal stood on the sidewalk, staring up at the imposing faux-gothic building.
“Impressive, isn’t it,” Ralph, Sal’s dad, said.
“Terrifying,” Sal muttered, but his dad was already striding toward the arched gate.
“Princeton,” Ralph called over his shoulder. “That’s what’s impressive. Much more impressive than that dump of a place your cousin Joel barely got into.”
“MIT?” Sal said as he hurried to catch up. “MIT’s not a—”
“A dump, I said. A wannabe Harvard. Ever heard of a lawyer or senator who went to MIT?” He pronounced it “Mit,” like a catcher’s mitt.
“Dad, it’s a science and engineering school. One of the best—”
“Ever hear of an Engineer being president?”
“Well, actually, Jimmy Carter was a nuclear engineer…”
They reached the gate, and both stood in awe until a middle-aged woman came up behind.
“Excuse me,” she said, waving her hand to get them to make room.
“Hello, My Dear. We were just—”
She gave Ralph a glowering look. “I’m not your ‘dear.’”
As she pushed past, Sal muttered, “Sorry. He’s kind of…old school.”
She rolled her eyes, but stopped and faced them. “This place is literally ‘old school.’” She eyed Ralph up and down. “You, My Dear, are just old-fashioned.” Then she turned to Sal. “What’s your deal?”
“He’s going to be president. That’s why he’s coming here,” Ralph chimed in.
Ignoring the comment, the woman raised an eyebrow to Sal.
“It’s his dream to see me in the White House one day.”
She snorted a half-laugh. “And what is your dream? Why do you want to come to this esteemed institution?”
Sal glanced at his dad, thought for a few moments, then met her eyes. “I want to find my dream.”
The woman smiled. “I’m Joan DeShutes, Dean of Students. Welcome to Princeton.”
THE END
Commentaires