White Coat Fever

Engaged? Talk about presumptuous. Bennyboy tried hard not to frown, managed to get her out of the lounge and onto the sidewalk, the chill of a wintery October night biting Bennyboy through the uniforn's thin white linen. He grabbed her left hand, studied the rock as if it were a rare object that belonged in a museum.

"First of all, what engagement? And secondly, where did you get this? My God, Aiyana it must be worth---"

"Ten thousand dollars," Aiyana said finishing his guess. "I didn't want people to think you were cheap. So I bought it. Rather daddy bought it for you. Consider it an advance on your dowry."

"Dowry?" He didn't even try to spell it. "And who said we're engaged?"

Aiyana held up her left hand, put the glittering diamond right in his face.

"This does," she said.

"Don't you think I should've been consulted first?"

"I did consult you, Bennyboy."

"You've got to be kidding! When did we ever talk about getting engaged?"

"Isn't that why you wanted me to transfer down here? So we could go together and be engaged?" And she turned into him slightly, gazing down for an instant at the glittering diamond-shaped pin on her leather dress, saying, "Isn't that why you wanted me to wear your fraternity pin? So people would know I belonged to you?"

Bennyboy remembering the pin was her idea, but left it alone.

"Yes, but--"

"Of course if I'm mistaken, Bennyboy," Aiyana said, cutting him off sharply. "If you're not really all that interested in me. If there's someone else, I think you need to let me know that so I don't waste my time...?"

"No," Bennyboy said conceding, "There's no one else." The Lena Horne look working its magic like it always did. She was just so fine. "And no, you're not mistaken. I just thought we should've talked more about it, thats all."

Aiyana Crawford smiled in victory.

"Oh we're gonna do a lot more than talk about it, Bennyboy. How's your weekend shaping up?"

"I'm on call Friday."

Aiyana frowned and said to Bennyboy, "Thats what I thought. Friday is the crowning of Kappa Sweetheart. So we'll have to celebrate my victory on Saturday."

"Kappa Sweetheart? We're on the verge of war, and all you're concerned about is being Kappa Sweetheart?"

"So, we're on the verge of war? That mean the hospitals stop operating? The colleges gonna shut down...?"

"Don't be silly," Bennyboy said. "Of course not."

"And the Kappa's will keep on choosing Sweethearts, won't they?"

"Well of course they will. But--"

"But nothing! I'm gonna be the new Kappa Sweetheart. War or no war," Aiyana said frankly, letting him know what really mattered. And driven. So supremely confident she knew she'd won. Her absolute certainty sailing right over his head, because he wasn't looking for it, still mired in shock at the potential for war over missiles in Cuba, the reality they were formally engaged. And not really sure which bothered him more.

"I might get drafted," Bennyboy said anxiously. "Don't you know how serious this situation is? What could actually happen if there's a war?"

"They'll need doctors if there's a war," Aiyana said confidently. "You're in medical school. They'll let you finish first. And besides, Daddy wouldn't want me to be a widow. He's got contacts with the draft board. You'll be safe if it comes to that. So stop worrying about it and tell me what kind of dress you think I should wear when they crown me Kappa Sweetheart Friday night.?

'Daddy wouldn't want me to be a widow...' Talk about selfish. But Bennyboy didn't pick up on it. Because he was hypnotized by her looks. And she was his. So he surrendered to Aiyana's thinking once again, asking, "How do you know you've won?"

"I have spies everywhere, Bennyboy," she said truthfully, because she did. "Trust me, I know."

Bennyboy wouldn't recognize shit if he stepped in it.

"Suppose they're wrong? Planning a victory party might be a bit premature, don't you think?"

Aiyana rolled her eyes, hissed angrily and said, "There you go again, always doubting me! You'll just have to take my word for it, Bennyboy---I'm the new Kappa Sweetheart. Now do.....