#bergen_county

"Man, college is just so many ways to get screwed over..."

"Now don't read one huckster on all colleges" Lupe directs "You liked the lady from BCC, right? She was honest or Symon would have busted her"

"Lacey Lemmons!"

He nods. "Yeah, she was legit. Seemed on the level. Local, too."

"Yeah, the Squeeze herself... I swear though if you didn't love shotput I wouldn't have known about her" Lupe admits to her friend

"Poor woman's name sounds like a porn name. I'd learn to hurl heavy objects too" She mutters

Snort!

"Still, Only YOU could end up encountering scouts here for BASKETBALL talent and end up with a shot at a shotput scholarship. You got weird luck, King" Fondly

"Well, wait until spring..."

"Oh sure, spring is when someone will try to get you in on a figure skating scholarship" light banter to ease her friend's nerves.. and if she's being honest, her own

"I'm lucky. The scholarships I'm eligible are mostly places I might be able to attend remotely." Of course, SPORTS requires you to be THERE which is just silly.

"Well, Bergen IS here."

He shrugs, a bit fidgety.

"Still not sure I'm going at all."

"You said.." She frowns.

"But of the two of us, you're the smart one."

He shrugs. "Ain't everything. I don't like how my dad is pushing for it."

"OH sure, rebel and end up with shitty jobs for life, THAT'LL teach him" Lupe mutters

"Just having the piece of paper can make a big difference, yeah?"

"Even if it's in underwater basket-weaving."

"HE went to SEU. That's... it's prestigious, in Seoul. Then when he came here, he had to re-take the licensing exams AGAIN, which was bullshit. And redid a Residency. At Stamford."

"How can I measure up to that?"

"Zombie cyborgs?"

"You don't have to " Lupe says "But that's no reason to skip academia entirely. Look, Symon, you're Sam's best friend, well, best guy friend for sure. She's always going on how smart you are. And she's right. But you know smarts without education is like muscle without skill.. not half as good as it could be. And yeah, the paper makes life easier. You're lucky. Your'e dad is well off. You're smart. You got openings some would kill for.. why spit on it?"

"He'd be better off if he worked at a real hospital and not a NFP clinic." He shrugs a bit, it's an old complaint, about having opportunities and letting them get away. If there is a parallel here, Symon steadfastly ignores it.

"He would. And you'd be better off with a college degree" Lupe is happy to dig it up, polish it off, and show it. It's what Bonegnawers do

"Going to college, you could get in a dorm?"

"Or some shitty apartment, as is tradition..."

"A garden apartment, the kind with only those thick block windows..." He does sound tempted.

"Ugh.. wouldn't you feel claustrophobic?"

He eyes Lupe like she's insane.

"And no Dirk."

"Nope. Cozy. And no Dirk. He broke up with Prissy, though." A small frown. "Guess even a... bruiser like him can't stand another of his type for too long."

"Huh."

"Oh.." Lupe blushes at something.

Symon gives Lupe an appraising look.

"something to add?"

"I won't say a word."

"Nope... nope nope. Nothing to add"

Not quite a lie... she doesn't want to add it

"Ain't gonna, nope. But I'm sure you can do you."

An eyebrow goes up. He shrugs. "I don't think I actually want to know. You ready? It's cold out here."

"Ready"

"Yeah."

"Want to come by my place? Mom's making yukgae- " He pauses, and rephrases. "Spicy beef stew." Nodding to both Lupe and Sam.

"Did you know that hot soup is served in the summer in Korea? It's supposed to help with stamina against the heat. Mom makes it in the winter though."

"Actually tempting" Lupe says and means it "But I gotta check on my gang let them know about this... college thing. My fam too"

"You two have fun though"

"Aw yeah, Yucky-gang!"

"Good luck with the gang, Lu."