Stepping onto that college campus for the first time was not the most exciting time in my life.  I had no desire to attend this prestigious school of the south, despite having a full scholarship.  I knew I didn't belong there, but decided to attend in yet another effort to please my mother.  Boy was I in for a suprise!

My beginning of my first semester was a quiet time.  I didn't make any friends, but my GPA was through the roof, and I was ahead on all my projects.  I thought to myself, "Ok...I can do this...  This isn't too bad?" 

Depite my roommate and I having nothing in common, we got along.  I stayed out of his way, and he pretty much ignored me.  For me, this arangement worked.  One day, his cousin (who stayed a few doors down), came by our room complaining about his roommate, and asked if the two of them could room together.  For me, this spelled diaster!  It had taken me almost a semester to get used to this guy, now I am being thrown into the lion's den with some other character?  And without my consent?  I don't think so!! 

As the conversation amongst them continued, I knew my fate was sealed.  Whether I wanted a new roommate or not, one was on the way.  Needless to say, the deal went through, and before I knew it, my roommate was packing his bags and moving his things down the hall.  The nerve of some people!

Within an hour or so, my new roommate made his presence.  His name was Jermaine, and as I soon learned, Jermaine was a gay guy from New York who played the keyboard, sang in the choir and shouted the Lord's name from the rooftop!  I thought to myself, "What have I gotten myself into!!?"  As time progressed, Jermaine and I fit together like two peas in a pod (though we argued worse than a married couple).  In essence, he took me under his wing and began to show me the ropes of college life.  Until this time, I had managed to avoid typical college life, and truly had no interest in par-taking in any school-spirit activities.  What I learned though was that an almost secret society existed on campus, and that this society had created a very exciting life for themselves.  It was through this hidden gem and sub-culture that I met Lee.

When I first met Lee, he seemed to be a snob.  Nearly everyone and everything was beneath him, he smoked like a chimney and he rolled his eyes harder than a pair of dice and any back alley craps game!!  (I later learned this was giving shade).  Confidence was an understament when it came to Lee!  It was as though he was in a class all by himself!  And although I found his behavior to be completely over-the-top, it was this persona that made me love him.  By the second semester, Lee and I were roommates, and though we were down one member of the group (Jermaine ended up transferring after a steamy and horrific scandal), Lee and I became even closer than ever. 

As time progressed, I became a snob as well and learned to throw shade wih the best of them. Lee and I became the Black Paris and Nicole of the south, and from then on, there was no stopping us!  It was with Lee that I began to enjoy college life.  I enjoyed it so much that the notion of school became an after-thought.  Although I lost my scholarship and was forced to leave school, I had the time of my life!  Had I gone to the University of Utah as I had planned, I never would have met Lee. 

Through our college experiences, we became life-long friends, and even when we lost touch, I often wondered about him, his mother and that cute brother of his that ran out the room and the end of our freshman year (I think us gurls scared him too much). ")  Lee was the kind of friend that stuck around for life...through the good times and the bad, and I am honored to have met him.  He will forever be missed...but will never be forgotten.  Take care, my friend.  I loved you then and always will!