An online novel by Gillette Edmunds

The first semester of medical school Charles realized no amount of studying would result in As. He was neither as quick as his classmates nor as fascinated by the subjects. Disappointed with his mediocre grades, he sought to distinguish himself in other ways. He was the star of the medical school basketball league. And his ability to meet attractive women astounded his classmates and the young, single professors. Inept at meeting women, they often traded favors for the dates he got them. Charles’ research partner, Dover Lockney, met his future wife in exchange for letting Charles sign his name to some lab tests Dover had run. Carolyn, the future Mrs. Lockney, had been fond of Charles since his football days and, years later, made sure he got equal credit with her husband on all their ‘joint’ research.

In high school, Chuck starred in three sports. In order to drive the nicest car in school, he hustled money from his father and rich relatives. He had few friends. None actually. When kids in elementary school began to make fun of him because he had no mother, he began beating them up. His reputation as a bully preceded him into Junior High. None of the guys liked him and he liked none of them. By the time he reached High School he had given up on friends altogether. But with girls it was different. He knew all the available girls within a hundred miles of the farm. One or other of his high school girl friends was always waiting for him after every game.

He intended to letter in three sports at Ohio State but quickly found he needed to specialize if he was going to make the grades he needed. He made friends with the girls who asked him questions after classes or waited after football games near his car to bum a ride home. Lorilye Tims took notes for him during football season. Every year she mirrored his fall class schedule. She had an extremely slight figure but a pretty face under short, layered red hair. Their junior year they had sex many times and experimented with different positions and marijuana. Before returning home for the summer, Charles told Lorilye he was not in love with her and never would be. She denied she was in love with him. The next semester she still mirrored his class schedule and took notes for him but at the end of the year she married the tight end on the football team. That summer she and her husband moved to Houston where he was trying out for the Oilers.