Before we left the cafeteria,
the Freshman Orientation team got on the loudspeakers and offered us options of
what to do that evening. It was a free evening. The official activities started
in the morning, including competitions and times for visiting our advisors and checking
out different departments, in case people changed their minds about classes once
they saw their schedules.
Our group filed out of
the cafeteria, and there in the lobby were tables filled with flyers and coupon
books for local businesses, and little introductory goodie bags. I felt like I was
cheating, getting a goodie bag that was supposed to persuade me to come visit. I
knew all the stores in town, after all.
"Divine's has a coupon!"
Clarice announced.
Okay, that was too good
to pass up.
"What's Divine's,"
Babbie Winslow asked. She was three doors down from us on the floor, and stood behind
us now, looking through her coupon book.
"It's no good telling
you. You gotta experience Divine's." I shared a grin with Clarice and we turned
around to see if our gang was still in the cafeteria lobby. "Hey, guys, if
you haven't heard yet, Clarice and Tyrone and Zach and Aldo and I are from Neighborlee.
Instead of going to a movie we've all seen before, how about a walking tour of town
before it gets crazy?"
"And use our coupons
before other kids get to the stores, and the good stuff is gone?" Sheri Carter
said with a chuckle. She riffled her coupon book, and others laughed.
"You can do whatever
you want, but you need to find Divine's Emporium before you do anything else. How
you survive your first year here will rest on your first impression of it."
"Think they'll be
able to see the Wishing Ball?" Clarice asked. Tyrone laughed. Zach and Aldo
laughed louder, trying to sound mysterious, when a few people asked what the Wishing
Ball was.
"Just come on along
and see, okay? I'm not going to tell you anything more, so you're not prejudiced,"
I added.
That got the interest
of some people who didn't look all that thrilled with taking a long walk after an
exhausting day getting moved into the dorm. It seemed like a third of the entire
dorm came with us as we headed down the sidewalk.
In the end, twenty-some people went to Divine's. As we passed through town, Tyrone pointed out places of interest, such as Miller's Diner and various shops where they could use their coupons. We lost some people. Clarice and Zach made note of who stayed with us for the walk of several blocks. Every single one was a fandom person of one kind or another. The freaks and geeks, as some of the arrogant jerks referred to us. We basically left the art and dance and music students behind—unless they were also science fiction and fantasy and horror people, too. Had to wonder if that was accidental. After all, there was already something strong building up on our dorm floor, with all the fandom gear people had brought with them to college.
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