Coley had an evening lecture, and it was time for me to check out my new room. I made my way over to Royce Hall. And as I looked over my paperwork, I noticed it mentioned I was on the first floor, but it failed to mention the room number. Ron was probably already gone for the day, but I figured the RA would know what room I was in. I knocked on his door and when it opened, I found a bleary-eyed guy looking back at me.
“Yeah?” he said.
“I’m David Plemski,” I said, “with an “i”. I’m supposed to move in tomorrow but I don’t know my room number.”
“Move in?” said the guy, looking like I’d just told him I flew in from the moon. “I don’t think we have any empty… Oh shit… You must be moving in with… Oh, I’m sorry Man.”
“What?” I said.
“Dude, your roommate… Holy shit…,” said the RA. “He went through 3 roommates last year. I didn’t think they’d put anyone else in there…”
“What?” I said “You mean they gave up campus housing because of this guy?”
The RA nodded. “I think one of them even left the school.”
“Why?” I said, feeling panic well up inside me. “What’s wrong with him?”
“Your worst nightmare,” he said. “I don’t want to talk shit about the people on my floor, but… I wouldn’t be able to live with him.”
“You’re scaring me,” I said. “Is he violent?”
“No, nothing like that. Look, I’ve probably said too much already. It’s room 7, down the hall. Go introduce yourself. And… you know… good luck.”
Then he closed the door.
“Thanks,” I said to the closed door. “Thanks a lot.”