Serial: Chapter 2 "Hawkins County" - A Nostalgic Novel of 1970's Americana

"Hawkins County" has a dual story line until well into the second act. You have already met Pat O'Connor, the delinquent teenage boy on the run from the law. The premise of his story line: Can Pat O'Connor continue to elude capture by law enforcement for probation violation? Now in chapter 2, you will meet Jack Johnson, a nerdy college student whose life becomes enmeshed with Pat O'Connor's in way the two can not yet imagine. This is the second story line, with Jack Johnson being the antagonist to the protagonist Pat O'Connor. 

Sitting next to Jack on this grand occasion was a pudgy student with acne scars who drank several cans of malt liquor, not the 12 ounce size, the big 16 ouncers, just before the graduation ceremony began. Jack noticed from the introduction card he was holding that his name was Adam Nelson, an Industrial Arts graduate, and that he had sawed off his right index finger down to the first joint. The guy fidgeted a lot and continued to do so even after he sat down to listen to the speaker. 

Jack slouched a bit in his chair as Professor Harland Davidson stepped to the podium to begin his concluding remarks before awarding the degrees. Professor Davidson was one of those teachers who came up through the ranks from an assistant professor back in the fifties to the administrative and non-teaching status he enjoyed today. Even with his stylish goatee and sideburns, he had an Ichabod Crane look about him. 

"Good afternoon honored students and faculty, parents, family, and friends," Professor Davidson began. "Please be seated. My name is Doctor Harley Davidson, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, and it is my honor to address you all. BS, MS, and PhD degrees will be awarded today. I'm sure that you understand the degree system. For instance, everyone knows what BS is. Well, MS is more of the same, and PhD is piled higher and deeper."

The student body smiled at Professor Davidson. He had their attention now and knew from experience that an icebreaker was appropriate even at such an occasion as this. He had to keep his presentation moving though, for the graduation ceremony schedule timed him out to just a few minutes including the inevitable pauses for laughter he knew he would receive because he was such a funny guy. Doctor Harley clasped his arms behind his back and strayed from the podium. "You're probably wondering about my name." (to be continued)

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