Inspired by - 6. Prompt 48 - My bond with Lee

It was the first day of class. I already felt out of place, having arrived early and getting coffee in the cafeteria. I had been surrounded by eighteen and nineteen-year-olds who all looked so young that at twenty seven I was already feeling like an ancient. Thank God, the college was a fairly small one and it was easy to get around.

The first class I had was one the Dean had suggested I take. There were going to be a group of core classes that approximately twenty students from different disciplines were going to take. The first one met Monday morning at seven am for Earth Science. There were six tables and a black board in the front of the room. I was early and the professor had just opened the door so he could get set up. I moved to the front table and sat down.

“I see I am not the only one who likes to be early,” came a gentle voice from across the table.

I looked up to find a woman who wasn’t a kid sitting down and opening up a tote bag to pull out her notebook and a pen. Her dark hair was shoulder length and framed her face. Her glasses helped to hide her smiling eye but she was already showing signs of being someone I wanted to get to know. Here was a woman who was willing to talk and joke and she had just met me.

“Nope, habit with me. I hate to do things last minute. Name is Wayne,” I stated as I held out my hand.

“Lee. Nice to meet you. I was afraid I was going to be the only one.” She shook my hand and then went in to grab a pen out of her book bag.

“Only one, what?” I asked confused. It was early and I hadn't managed to drink more than a few sips of my coffee yet.

“Only older student.”

Looking at her you didn’t immediately think older. She was sort of ageless, happy, and soon would be recognized as the Earth Mother to the whole group.

“Nope. But I don’t think you are all that much older.”

“Thirty one and ready to bet no one else comes close,” she laughed. It made her nose wrinkle up. I found it refreshing to find someone who talked so openly and we were just getting to know one another.

“Well, I am twenty seven if it makes you feel any better.”

“A little, anyway. I was afraid I would be the lone soul in a group of kids just starting out.”

“Not really. I decided after helping the umpteenth kid at work fill out their college application I could as well. Guess you can say I am just starting out again.”

“I'm in the process of starting over myself. Divorce will do that, and I figured an education will help me get what I want.”

As she picked up her coffee we watched the others arrive. It seemed all of a sudden as thought the flood gates opened as in groups of twos and threes the rest of the class seemed to arrive. All in all there were twenty of us and of that group three of us were considered older students. Besides Lee and myself there was also Donna who beat Lee by two years and also had a son.

From that first moment we had bonded. It was a friendship over something so simple as age and liking to be early. We stayed close friends for six years till her terribly short battle with cancer took her from this world. It is a bond I remember and still treasure.