Love Is What Matters

After High School graduation Vince attended UCLA. He started with a major in geology, and when he took the entrance exams he aced most of them. This allowed him to get automatic credits for two years’ worth of classes, so he added a major in electrical engineering, concentrating in measurement instruments.

During his freshman year, his doctor told the Origianis that Vince could now be fitted for a custom-made helmet. The helmet would be hinged down the middle, so Vince could open it outward, like a bird’s wings and not have it scrape against his head. Vince was delighted with this, as it was a great improvement over the floppy hat. Naturally, he excelled at his studies, but he was still somewhat shy and withdrawn. Some of the students thought he was just anti-social, and he didn’t have many close friends. His senior year he became a teaching assistant in the geology department, starting work on his master’s degree. The first day of the new term, he was hurrying to geology class. He was supposed to take roll, pass out assignments, etc. He rounded the corner just as the bell rang and ran right into a female student, who was also hurrying into class.

“Oh, excuse me,” he said, as he looked into her eyes.

He found himself sinking into a pool of dark, sweet chocolate. He stared; he couldn’t stop. He heard the professor call to him to hurry up, class had started. He blushed and went to the front of the room. The professor asked Vince to call the roll and pass out the syllabus for the term. The student with dark chocolate eyes was named Eve Land.

Vince thought,” Really? Land? How unusual. That’s what I love, the land and the earth”.

Then Vince handed out the class syllabus. At Eve’s desk his hand accidentally brushed hers. It was like a jolt of electricity passed between them. They both looked startled at each other and blushed. Vince decided to ask her out for coffee after class. But during class, he couldn’t stop glancing at her, and would blush when she was staring back.

He thought, “It’s probably because I look so weird in this helmet.”

When class was over, Vince shuffled some papers and pretended to be cleaning up. He was actually watching Eve out of the corner of his eye so he would know when to make his move. Just at the right moment, he picked up his things and swung into step beside her. He smiled, and she smiled. “That’s a good sign”, he thought.

He stammered, “Ah, Miss Land, er, Eve, I was wondering if you would like to get a cup of coffee with me? There’s a coffee bar right around the corner.”

Eve said, “Yes, I’d like that.” They went to the coffee bar and talked through three cups of coffee.