Coming Out - 2. The Porn Theater

After my morning classes on Wednesday, I returned to my dorm room to change into my “date with Pete” outfit that I planned to wear: khaki slacks and a clean Izod shirt. Opening the door, I was surprised to find Carl still there.

What’s up with him? He’s never in the room at this time of day—of course, neither am I, so how would I know?

As I entered the room, he slammed shut the bottom drawer of his dresser and jumped to his feet, aggressively facing me. “What the fuck are you doing here?” His face turned beet red with rage, as though I had no right to be in my own room.

“None of your goddamn business, that’s what. I live here, remember?”

He grimaced but said no more.

As I dressed, I felt the heat of his glare burning into my back. Not bothering to school my face of its annoyance, I wheeled around to face him, “What the fuck, man? You have something on your mind?”

I use the term “mind” loosely in Carl’s case.

“Fuck you—” I could tell he wanted to say something more. He added with forced civility, “You going somewhere?”

For a fleeting moment, I imagined us having a normal conversation. “Into town to catch a movie.” Like discarding trash, I deleted the mental image of him and me watching a film together.

He frowned. “What movie?”

“Oh, probably nothing you’d like.” I enjoyed taunting his ignorance of current events.

“Fuck you.” He turned and busied himself with something on his desk. “Just keep out the hell of my way.”

“You going to town, too?”

He turned back to face me with his eyes shooting daggers. “Like you said, none of your goddamn business. Just make sure I don’t see you anywhere.”

What the fuck? He’s actually threatening me? Who does he fucking think he is?

“And why should I?”

“I said stay out of my fuckin way, motherfucker. You hear me?” The threat in his voice was crystal-clear. We had somehow veered into forbidden territory.

I ought to end this conversation right now, before it goes too far, but goddammit, I have a right to go wherever I want.

“I fucking hear, asshole, but it’s in one ear and out the other. I’ll go any goddamn place I want to. You don’t fucking give me orders.”

He crossed the room, stopping right in front of me. He brought his face within inches of mine, exhaling his putrid, stale smoker’s breath at me.

“I got business in town, and I don’t want some fuckin asshole like you fucking it up, so if you see me someplace, you make yourself scarce, capisce?”

His pseudo-gangster attitude would be amusing if he weren’t so fucking stupid.

Defiant, I stepped back from him. “Listen, asswipe. I’ll go where I fucking please, and you won’t stop me. Capisce?”

He tightened his hands into fists.

I’d better defuse this fast, or we’ll be on the floor beating the shit out of each other—or rather, I’ll be getting the shit beat out of me!

I shrugged my shoulders and calmly rationalized with him, “First of all, Carl, the odds of you and me wanting to be in the same place are zero to none.”

Knowing how dense he was, I let that sink in a moment. “And second, if by some unfortunate chance I did happen to run into you in town, I would not want to stick around and be anywhere near you. Got it?”

He unwound, looking satisfied. “Right. So fucking remember that.”

I left the room without a word, slamming the door behind me.

Whatever he's hiding from me, it doesn’t interest me in the least.

********

At the entrance to the seedy cinema, Pete and I purchased our tickets and were admitted into a long, narrow lobby illuminated only by two bare bulbs hanging down from the ceiling.

Why the hell am I here? This place is fucking creepy.

We were in an old movie house from the 1950s. It was shabby to the point where it ought to be condemned, and the odors of piss, cigarette smoke, and stale popcorn almost choked me.

As we walked in, three or four guys were sitting on chairs or leaning against the wall, smoking. They had to come out to the foyer to smoke, which only made sense, given the age of the structure and the likelihood that it wasn’t close to being up to fire code.

One live ash and this fucking building is history, which is precisely what should happen to it.

They all took an immediate interest in Pete and me. I guessed they were on the lookout for fresh, young meat. I hoped none of them would follow us inside; fortunately they didn’t.

We passed through tall double doors covered with faded and torn leather held in place by studded nails, and we found ourselves in near-total darkness with the only illumination coming from the exit lights.

This is getting creepier by the minute.

I stopped dead in my tracks, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the dark.

Shit, I hope I don’t fall down some steps or fucking trip over somebody.

Pete grabbed my hand and whispered, “Come on. I’ll show you where we’re going.”

“It’s fuckin dark here, man!” I hissed back at him.

He chuckled knowingly, “A lot goes on in here that nobody wants anybody else to see.”

I allowed him to lead me across the open space at the rear of the theater. In the center, a wide wall rose from floor to ceiling, which I figured was the bottom of the projection booth. He guided me to the right by the light of the movie screen, until I saw a chest-high barrier in front of us. An opening at the head of the aisle led down into the seating area.

I glanced up at the film. Two men were fucking the same woman.

Damn! One of the guys is under her, stabbing her pussy upwards, and the other one is on top of her, jabbing her in the ass. The scene doesn’t do much for me because the only thing I like about straight sex is looking at dicks, especially hard ones, like in those magazines Craig and I jacked off to last summer. Those guys were studs; these two make me want to puke just from looking at them.

Pete tugged at my arm and pulled me over to the wall. I rested my elbows on it and peeked over. My eyes were now more accustomed to the dark, and the flickering light from the movie helped. About a dozen men were sitting in the large auditorium; most were alone and far apart. A couple of guys were standing at the front of the theater, off to the side of the screen, but I couldn’t make them out clearly. Farther down the partition from us, four other men were scanning the big room, the same as we were.

“What do we do now?” I whispered to Pete.

“Can you see okay?” he whispered back.

“More or less. Why is it so goddamn dark in here?”

“Some people like it that way—it’s more private.” He winked at me.

Is he hinting it would be all right with him if we did some shit in the dark here? I’m not thrilled about sitting in what I’m pretty sure are fucking filthy seats, but I’ve made up my mind. Whatever he wants to do is going to be fine with me.

Tugging my arm, my new friend led me through the gap in the wall. Halfway down the aisle, he chose an empty row and I followed him to the middle. Nobody was within ten rows of us in any direction, and anyone walking up or down the aisles could hardly tell we were there. We sat side-by-side in two seats that almost worked. They creaked as we lowered the cushions to sit down.

“Damn! You sure know your way around this place!” I told Pete.

“I guess I kind of feel safe in here. I never run into anybody from class, and I can be by myself and still enjoy—” His voice trailed off.

“Enjoy what? The movie? This thing is fuckin gross!”

“No—” he sounded embarrassed, “enjoy getting off while I’m watching.”

“Watching this shit?” I glanced up at the scene playing out on the screen and chuckled, “The two guys fucking the woman are goddamn pigs. Their only redeeming quality is their big hairy cocks. Holy shit—they remind me of my creepy roommate, Carl!”

Pete hadn’t answered my question. I turned and gave him a sharp look. “Well?”

He hung his head. “No—watching what the other men in here are doing.”

I nodded in agreement. “Nothing wrong with watching—or joining in.” I peered around in the dark.

Now that my eyes are used to the low light in here, I can see well enough all over the theater. Several rows in front of us, two guys are kissing. Hey! One of them leaned down, and now his head is bobbing up and down. He’s giving the other guy a blowjob!

Nodding toward them, I said to Pete, “I see what you mean. Would you like to try what they’re doin’?”

Pete squirmed. “Maybe later.”

I peered around some more. Down in the first row, one man was sitting on another’s lap, bouncing up and down.

I gotta admit I’ve never been in a place like this. On the one hand, it’s totally seedy and disgusting, but it’s also exciting and dangerous.

I continued my examination of my surroundings. Two shadowy figures were standing in the space in front, to the left of the screen. In a couple of seconds, I realized they were fucking. Every time the top rammed into the bottom, the poor dude was lifted almost off the floor.

So this is the kind of shit that turns Pete on. Well, I’m up for it, too.

I turned and noticed he had scrunched down in his seat and was watching the movie. I did the same. After a minute or two, I sensed his hand creeping up my leg.

Careful, now—he’s making his move on me, so don’t do anything to spook him.

His hand inched up toward my crotch until it rested on my half-hard cock. I sat still and barely breathed, with my eyes locked on the screen down in front.

So you’re ready to take this to the next level, huh, Pete?

Without a word, Pete sank out of his seat and down to the floor.

He squeezed past my knee and squatted between my legs. I pretended not to notice as he unbuckled my belt and pulled down the zipper. I lifted my ass as he slipped my trousers down to my ankles, followed by my briefs.

My hard-on sprang to attention. He took it in one hand and began to stroke; the other played with my balls. Without warning, he leaned in and opened his mouth, surrounding the head of my cock with his lips.

“Ow! Watch the teeth!” I hissed as I jumped.

“Sorry,” Pete managed to say with my hard cock in his mouth.

At least he’s acknowledging what he’s doing.

I adjusted my bare ass in the chair, still a bit concerned about whatever the fuck I might be sitting in. I moved closer to Pete’s face, and he responded by drawing more of my erection into his mouth.

I wasn’t sure if I should respond in any way, but I wanted to let him know I was enjoying it, even though I’ve had lots of better blowjobs. I decided a quiet “Mmm,” followed by lifting my hips, so my cock was more accessible, wouldn’t scare him off. We proceeded in virtual silence. He threw himself into the sucking, making muffled slurping sounds from time to time, and I didn’t hold back the soft moans and the occasional “fuck yeah” to encourage him.

It worked. I was getting harder, and I sensed my release was nearing. “I’m gonna come. Do you want to take it?”

Pete pulled back in a panic, and my prick popped out of his mouth. “No!” He was horrified at the thought.

Realizing what he had said and how it sounded, he offered, “But if you jack off, you can come in my hand.”

Oh, well, what the hell. I’m too close to stop now, so I might as well do what the kid wants.

I shot a medium-sized load and he managed to catch most of my semen in the palm of his hand. I was curious about what he would do with it, but my question was answered as he brought it to his mouth and began licking up the jizz.

At least the motherfucker eats cum! I don’t understand why he didn’t let me shoot it into his mouth, but who am I to complain? Maybe he wanted to inspect what was about to go down his throat.

Once he had licked his hand clean, Pete climbed back into his seat. I stayed as I was and relaxed.

I’m gonna leave my pants down around my ankles and see if I can take this to the next level.

We watched in silence as the scene in the movie changed to one that was more to my liking. A hot stud in his mid-20s came home and found an older woman who appeared to be his stepmother lounging on a couch in a bra and a garter belt, but no panties. Her hairy pussy was displayed for him, and she was fingering her clit.

The stepson pretended to be shocked at seeing her like that, but she didn’t try to hide herself. Instead, she spread her legs open and invited him to sit beside her, which he eagerly did. In no time, she was sucking his cock. After she had him hard, she sat on it, and the camera zoomed in for a close-up.

Now, this turns me on. The dude is hung like a fucking horse, and I’ve got an excellent view of his cock in action. This is so fucking better than the still photos in Hustler!

I turned toward Pete, who was jacking off vigorously. I reached over and replaced his hand with mine, and he didn’t move or say a word.

He wants me to jack him off, but I have no intention of stopping there.

I leaned over and whispered in his ear, “Did you notice those guys down in the front row?” I indicated the one bouncing up and down on the other’s lap.

“What the fuck are they doin’?”

Now we’re getting somewhere. This shy young fellow is starting to cuss like a grown-up!

“I believe it’s called ‘fucking’—butt-fucking, to be precise.”

“Right here? In front of everybody?” he asked in awe.

“Right here, in front of the whopping ten other men in this shithole.”

He was silent. I gave more attention to his pecker, leaning down to suck on it. Pete threw his head back and sighed with contentment.

“I realize you’re enjoying this, but we’ve been there, done that.” I lifted my head and looked him in the face. “Aren’t you ready for something better?”

“Like what?”

“Like what those two dudes are doing.”

“You mean you want to fuck me?” he squeaked with terror in his voice.

“No, dumbass, I want YOU to fuck ME.”

“Here? How?”

“Don’t worry. Leave everything to me.”

I took my pants and briefs off, slipping my shoes through the legs carefully, worried that something gross was on the floor. Folding my clothes and placing them over the seat in front of me, I lubed my hole from the tube I was carrying in my pocket. I also had a condom, but I was confident Pete was a virgin, and I had always used one for the infrequent times I had sex, so I decided we wouldn’t need it.

I knew I should come prepared in case things got to this point. I’m sure glad I did.

I rose enough to clamber over the armrest between us. Grasping Pete’s hard-on, I inched closer and above it, and lowered myself on his manhood. Pete groaned, fighting to contain himself so as not to make much noise. As his pecker slipped inside my ass, I rested a moment, sitting on his lap, allowing my insides to adjust to the size and shape of the intruder.

He’s not as well-endowed as Craig, but he’ll do fine.

I moved up and down the tiniest bit, less obvious than the two fuckers in the front row. It was enough to keep Pete happy, though. He put both hands on my hips and guided me to pleasure him. It only took a couple of minutes like this for his legs to tense and his breathing to speed up. He pressed my ass down hard and emptied his balls inside me. He moaned so loud that several heads turned in our direction.

The show’s over—sorry, fellows!

Recalling how he had jerked his cock out of my mouth when I blew him, I sat on his lap, not allowing him to escape. I jacked off until I shot another load of cum, this one more substantial, on the seatback in front of us.

I’m sure everyone else does the same thing in this shithole, so I don’t feel guilty about it.

I gingerly lifted my ass off Pete's lap. Returned to my seat, I pulled my clothes back on and rested a moment. I wanted to savor the afterglow and the knowledge that I had brought Pete one step closer to full-on gay sex. After a couple of minutes, I stood up.

He was surprised. “Aren’t you gonna stay for the rest of the movie?”

“I bet the theater runs the same goddamn show all day and night. I doubt anybody is here to watch the film or follow the plot, if one exists. It’s more fun to watch the other guys in here get off. Let’s go someplace clean and quiet.”

As we made our way out of the stinking building, I remarked, “I’m damn glad it’s nighttime, ‘cause I don’t think my eyes could take bright sunlight after being in the goddamn darkness for so long.”

We strolled down the near-deserted street. I reached for Pete’s hand, and he grasped mine affectionately.

This has worked out a lot better than I expected.

As we turned the corner, I looked up. The blood drain from my head, and my stomach dropped.

Fuckin shit! Hell, no!

A block away, my asshole roommate was standing under a streetlamp. I only looked for a second, but it was long enough to observe him giving some dude a small package and receiving cash in return.

That motherfucker! I always figured he was a goddamn drug dealer, but now I have to live with the proof.

Panic took over. I grabbed Pete by the arm and steered us back around the corner and out of sight, hoping Carl had been too busy with his transaction to notice me.

I quick-marched Pete through town, intent on putting distance between us and Carl’s “corner store.”

“What’s going on?” Pete inquired, breathless.

“Oh, nothing. I—saw somebody I don’t want to run into.”

We found a café and sat down for coffee and pastry. Neither of us directly referenced the sex we had enjoyed in the porno theater. I was trying hard to forget my disgust at having been inside the filthy place, as well as the memory of the drug deal going down.

I fucking wish I had somewhere private to take Pete back to and have real sex with him. Goddammit! If only Dad would shell out for an apartment.

He reached over and laid his hand on top of mine. “I’m...really glad you came with me today.”

I smiled back, “Me, too.”

He paused to summon up all his courage. “Bruce, I’ve never done...well, any of that before.”

“I hope it wasn’t too much, too soon.”

“Hell, no. To tell you the truth, I’m kicking myself for being a 19-year old virgin until today.”

“Well, you waited for the best.” I winked at him.

He laughed, “No doubt.” He looked me in the eye, “but honestly, I’m glad I did it, and I’m glad it was with you.”

Dammit, I’m fucking stymied here. All I wanted was a one-off with him—slam, bam, thank you, man. A relationship is the one thing I don’t need right now. And yet...I like Pete, and I think I might like being around him. What the fuck?

“Listen, Pete. I’m not good at relationships. The last one I was in blew up in my face, big time. It’s not that I don’t like you—I do. But I’m...shit, I’m afraid to commit to someone new right now.”

“We don’t have to commit, Bruce. In fact, I’m not sure how to, but we can keep getting together—and doing the stuff we like—and maybe we’ll figure something out if we give it time.”

“Would that be enough for you?”

“Come on, Bruce. I’ve never had anything, so how the hell would I even know what ‘enough’ is?”

He withdrew his hand, and we sat silently, looking into each other’s eyes.

I don’t fucking know what to make of this. It’s too goddamn soon. I was with Craig, heart and soul, and I’m not sure I have anything left. But Pete touches something in me, making me want to try again. Fuck! Why not?

We finished our coffees and headed back to the dorm in no hurry.

“What does the rest of your week look like?” I asked, dropping a not-too-subtle hint.

“Oh, I’m pretty busy—two lab projects and a test on Friday.” He wasn’t taking the suggestion.

“You work too goddamn hard, my friend. You’ve gotta make time to relax, unwind, and have some fun. And I’m not talkin’ about watching your fuckin porno movies. It needs to be real human flesh-to-flesh contact.”

He smiled and nodded at me, comprehending what I was offering. “You’re right, Bruce. I do need to make some room in my life for someone—” Pete’s eyes were like windows into his soul. “Like you.”

We meandered through the spring evening holding hands again and avoiding the vicinity of the theater or the corner where my drug dealer roomie conducted his business.

I’m gonna have to think about what I saw. How the hell can I live in the same room with a goddamn criminal? I’ve gotta talk to Dad!

We stopped about a block from our dorm. I faced Pete, and he looked back at me with almost-childlike trust. With a warm smile, I pulled him close.

Right now, I need a friend like Pete.

The innocent lamb wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on my shoulder.

I’ll be goddamned if I’m settling for a hug.

I turned my head, and he looked up at me with those soulful eyes, pressing his closed lips tight against mine. Our mouths opened, our tongues connected, and Pete suddenly went full-on passionate.

Man! How long has he been hiding this side of himself?

We kissed for some time, and I realized I was hard as a rock. Pressing my body to his, I discovered Pete was, too.

Damn! He’s this fucking hot, and I’ve got no place to take him. I wouldn’t dare go back to my room with him. That piece of shit Carl might show up at any moment.

We both relaxed and took a step apart. We continued strolling toward the dorm. Pete draped an arm across my shoulders, and I reached around and slipped my hand into his back pants pocket. The warmth of his body was almost impossible to resist. I gave his ass a couple of affectionate tweaks.

“This was fun,” I encouraged him.

“It sure was, Bruce. I-I’ve never kissed a man before.”

“You did it fine, and I think you liked it.”

“Hell, yes! I’m ready for more, only—”

“Only when and where can we do it?”

“Yeah. I told you, my roommate hates me. If we went to my room and he found us, he’d throw me out on the street.” His face was pale and his breathing was shaky.

“Don’t worry. I’m aware of that.” I thought it over. “And my fuckin roommate is such a shit that I can’t begin to predict what he might do.”

“We’re screwed.”

I put an arm over his shoulder and smiled, “Pete, Pete. We’re college men—we’re creative. There are lots of nice places that would be private and uninterrupted.”

“There are?”

“Of course. Look at all the motels around the campus. Don’t you think the rooms in them get a lot of use by students like us?”

“Gay students?”

I laughed out loud. “Well, I have no doubt some of them are gay, but I only meant students who need a place to have sex without anybody knowing about it.”

“Could we do that?”

“Sure. Why not?”

He was uncertain. “How much do you think it costs? I don’t have much money—”

“Money is the least of our worries. I have an allowance from my parents, and I don’t use it for anything more than coffee and the occasional restaurant meal when I’m sick of college food. It’ll be no problem at all.”

After a brief silence, he stopped and faced me. Taking a deep breath, he grinned, “Gosh, it sounds like we just made a date.”

“You bet your sweet ass we did. How about Friday night? We can have dinner and drinks to help you unwind from the stress of your test and then move on to an inexpensive but clean and private room in a half-decent motel.”

“And then?” His eyes gleamed with carnal desire.

I pulled him into another kiss. “And then, Pete my boy, we get naked and do nasty things to each other.”

“Wow! I’m so fucking ready, Bruce!”

Right outside our dorm’s front door, we stopped again and kissed.

Fuck it! I don’t give a shit if somebody sees us.

As we entered, I told him, “And some day, I’m gonna have a fuckin apartment all my own, off campus. And when I do, you’ll come over, and we’ll spend a whole weekend in bed together, with no interruptions and no worries. OK?”

In response, he pulled me into another long kiss.

********

When I arrived back in my room, Carl was gone, as usual. After I locked the door behind me, I hesitated a moment, wary but needing to know. Unable to stave off my morbid curiosity, I crossed the room to his dresser and squatted down. I gingerly slid open the bottom drawer. At first, I saw only a jumble of clothes—I couldn’t tell if they were dirty or clean. Reluctant to handle them much, I shunted them aside.

What I found in the back took my breath away. Hands shaking, I re-jumbled the clothes and slammed the drawer shut. I rose to my feet and backed off to my side of the room, shocked and worried.

Well, I’ve fucking stepped in it. Now, what am I gonna do? The smartest thing is to forget that shit is there. But I can’t.

Shaken, I stumbled out of the room and headed to the cantina, where I downed a couple of beers to calm my nerves.

********

In our room the next morning, Carl glared at me. “I saw you hanging around with that fuckin queer, Pete Waters. Are you a goddamn faggot, too?”

I had been half-expecting something like this, and I wasn’t sure how the conversation would go.

Pete and Carl have computer science classes together, and I don’t want to put Pete in a difficult position.

“Carl, my sex life—if I have one—is nobody’s goddamn business, including yours. Unlike you, I don’t fuck anything that spreads open for me.”

“Fuck you!”

I knew I should keep my mouth shut, but I was so damn disgusted with the shitwad that I sneered, “Now what makes you think that isn’t what I’d like you to do?”

“Bullshit. You’re not a fuckin queer, and I know it.”

“And how the hell do you know it?”

“Because you’ve never come on to me or tried anything.”

“Maybe you’re just not my type.”

“Kiss my ass!”

“Doing something to your tight ass might be right up my alley, roomie.” I said with a wicked grin.

Without another word or any warning, Carl cocked his right arm and savagely punched me in the face. I flew backward across my bed, hitting the wall hard. The last thing I remember is the look of rage on Carl’s face right before I blacked out.

********

When I opened my eyes, everything was a blur. I barely made out the face of my dorm’s Resident Advisor. He was a grad student who got free room and board for keeping an eye on us freshmen. The RA looked at me with grave concern, and three or four other guys from my dorm were standing around in the room. Carl was nowhere to be seen.

My head was pounding, and my face was on fire. As my brain started working again, I croaked in a pained voice, “Wha-What...happened?”

The RA appeared embarrassed. Some of the other guys scowled at me with open disdain. I was confused. It was my roommate who had done a bad thing—more than one, in fact.

“Well—” he began reluctantly, “Carl says...you tried to kiss him, so he decked you.”

“What? Don’t be fuckin ridiculous. He accused me of being gay, and when I said I wasn’t, the fucker hit me. Where is the lying son of a bitch?”

His voice told me he didn’t believe me. “Somebody heard the noise of the fight and called me. I found you out cold on the bed. Security took him downstairs for questioning.”

I tried to sit up, but my head was thumping like a bass drum, so I fell back on my pillow.

“Let me get this straight,” I said, trying to wrap my head around the whole fucked-up situation. “That asshole accuses me of being gay, knocks me out, claims I tried to kiss him, and now he’s under arrest?”

“No. He’s only being questioned. I guess they’ll finish with him soon.” The resident advisor was going to stick with what Carl had told him.

“What do you mean ‘finish with him?’ ”

“I believe they’re coming up to talk to you next.”

Shit! I realize where this is going, and I’m not gonna let it fucking happen to me.

“Talk to me? So they can charge him with assault and battery?”

“Uh, I’m not sure. I don’t think so. I mean, you—”

“I what?” I snarled, causing him to take a step back.

“Well, a lot of guys think you’re...gay. Somebody said they saw you and another dude kissing in front of the dorm.”

“So what ‘a lot of guys think’ would automatically make me guilty and him innocent?”

He shrugged, making it clear that he was taking Carl’s side.

Oh, no you don't, motherfucker. Time for the truth.

I sat up, ignoring the cacophony in my brain. I cleared my throat and spoke in what I hoped was a commanding voice, “Well, we can change that right now. Pull his goddamn bottom drawer out and look at what’s in the back.”

The man turned toward the chest of drawers, unsure what to do.

No sooner did the words leave my mouth, two of the guys in the room with us beat a hasty retreat. Suspicious about their departure, the RA got up and went over to the dresser. He opened the bottom drawer and groped around inside it.

“No. You gotta take the fuckin drawer all the way out!”

He did as I instructed and warily reached to the back. He removed three cardboard shoe boxes and set them on the floor, handling them like they were about to explode.

“Fucking open them!” I insisted.

Instead, the RA turned to one of the men still in the room and ordered, “Get the security guard up here!”

The man arrived with my roommate in tow, screaming some shit about violating his privacy. The guard told Carl to stay out of the room with two guys keeping a close eye on him. He closed the door and bent down to the boxes.

Gingerly, he lifted the top off the first. It was jam-packed with plastic baggies of marijuana.

“Oh my God!” the RA exclaimed.

The guard opened the second container. Inside were more little bags, filled with a white powder. “Shit! This looks like coke!”

As if he were expecting an explosion, he peeked under the lid of the third shoe box. “Goddamn! It’s fuckin full of money!”

A small handgun was packed right next to the neatly stacked and wrapped cash. “Motherfucker!” He grabbed the walkie-talkie off his belt and barked into it, “Seventeen to base. We need the cops at the freshman dorm, room 304. I found drugs...and a weapon.”

Exhausted from the confrontation and with my head spinning, I lay back and promptly passed out again. I guess the effects of crashing my head into the wall had not worn off.

As I closed my eyes, the RA and the guard looked at me with a mixture of concern and suspicion.