Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2011 10:38:34 -0800 (PST)
From: Neo Nemo <tse_kz74@yahoo.com>
Subject: The Dorm Room Part I

This story is a translation of the Russian original, with names and
vernacular made to sound as American as possible for ease of reading by an
internatonal English-speaking audience.  However, keep in mind that it's
set in Russia, and make allowances accordingly. The Russian original was
first published as a series of journal entries on a Russian gay meeting
site qguys.ru.  Please also note that English is not my native or even
first foreign langauge.


THE DORM ROOM PART 1

THE FRESHMAN


    August 27th. The start of my freshman year at the U was two days
away. I wasn't a city boy – born and raised in the boonies – so
excitement gripped me at the thought of all the fun my new dorm life should
be.  And actually it was a small miracle that I – a country bumpkin if
there ever was one - had been able to enroll at our province's flagship
tech university – and at the very prestigious and difficult to get into
School of Computer Sciences, no less.  To be frank with you, I was just on
this side of shaky at the speed everything around me had changed: I'd left
my childhood home and my parents for a big city I knew precious little
about.  So, it was a little scary, but exciting at the same time, imagining
all the new people I'd be meeting and new friends I'd be making with my
fellow students.  It sure had a nice ring to it – I was
University-bound!

    It was quarter to 9 AM and I stood in front of my residence hall with a
snazzy messenger bag flung around my back. Room assignment was scheduled
for 9 AM sharp.  I noticed with slight unease that the 9-story dorm
building looked a bit shabby on the outside.  Entering the hall, I joined
the swarm of other students waiting for the Resident Director.  "Looks like
regular peeps, at least there are no rich kids with silver spoons in the
mouths.  Although... why would they ever live in a dorm?"  As I sneaked a
look around, the crowd was mostly guys, with the occasional female of the
species dotting the place – hard to except otherwise at a computer
school.

    At 9 on the dot the RD office door opened and out came the RD herself
– a tall woman with a face that wouldn't steal any glances and a waist
size that would give an oak tree a run for its money.  It turned eerily
quiet as she stepped into the main lobby and the students hushed in
anticipation of their fate.

    "I'm going to be calling out your names and your room numbers.  Once
you've heard yours, come up front and get your key."  The RD began reeling
off the names and dispensing the keys while I was looking around the lobby.
The walls had been painted dusty blue, the floor tiled, with potted plants
livening up the place – the decor was simple, but neat, clean, and
presentable, I noticed to my considerable relief.

    "Victor Fedorov – Room 703."

    By the way, Vic Fedorov - that'd be me.  Not too tall - as I preferred
to put it – with longish chestnut hair and grey eyes.  Some had said I
was good looking, others – sweet, while there are some who'd said I was
cute as a button.  Hmm, I wouldn't know about that; I'd say I was just a
regular looking guy.

    Twiddling the key in my hand I pressed the elevator button and the door
slid open ushering me in.  So, 7th floor, that should be cool.  There were
no balconies, naturally, but the views should be something to behold.  The
elevator with much oomph – and rather clunkily - transported me to the
required floor.

    "Let's see, this is 725, and 723 on the left, so mine should be down
the hall," I quickly gathered. Nice looking sturdy doors lined the hallway,
with doormats by each – looked more like apartments than a residence
hall.  And here was 703, finally. "Hmm, should I use the key or knock
first? Although it's my room too now, so here goes nothing."  I stuck the
key in the lock, turned it, and stepped in.  Wow, what lay before me was a
real suite! There was a small hall with two doors on each side.  Left of
the door I saw a shoe rack and coat hooks above it – unused for the time
being - this being summer, of course.  Across the hall from the door stood
a giant of a cabinet with a full length mirror on the front. "Hmm, doesn't
look like a dorm room at all, but it sure feels very comfy," my thoughts
flickered rapidly.  As I dropped off the bag and began taking off the
sneakers, my thoughts raced ahead, "Just how many guys live in the suite?
It's dead quiet here, I guess no one's back to school ye..."

    "Oh, hi! You must be the new roomie!"  Out of nowhere a guy on the
short side – just like yours truly, and looking remarkably like a high
school kid - materialized in front of me. He sported short spiked dirty
blond hair.  His big expressive eyes smiled at me and openly appraised me
at the same time.

    "Hi there!  Yes, I've been assigned this room.  I'm Vic, by the way."
We shook on it.  "His hand is so warm and smooth," I couldn't help
noticing.

    "I'm Mikey. Nice to meetchya! Paulie, get your ass over here, we have
fresh meat!"

    Out the first door on the left a curly head popped, and the rest of the
body followed.  Paul – that was the curly head's name – thrust his
hand out for a handshake.  "Mike's handshake is gentle and long, and this
guy's firm and brisk." Paul was the same height as his friend but - unlike
fair and even milky white Mike – generously tanned.  He was
bare-chested, and his smooth hairless abdomen proudly featured a nice six
pack. "Nice abs.  Damn, I so need to go the gym!"

    "Okay, I'll give you the grand tour.  On the left – two bedrooms
with 3 and 2 beds.  You are replacing our old roommate who graduated last
semester.  On the right - the second door is the bathroom, and this is the
kitchenette. But we don't have stoves in the suites; there's only one per
floor in the shared kitchen. How are you doing so far?"

    And then out of the blue the tour guide slash my roommate Paulie
flicked me gently on the nose.  It was so unexpected that could only `ouch'
in reaction.  I guess I must have been a sight as the guys laughed so
copasetically and congenially that it was impossible to get worked up over
it.

    "We'll get along fine," Mike proclaimed with finality.  "I'll show you
your bed."

    We went into the room curly Paulie had popped out from.  "Now, this is
most definitely a computer geek room."  The generously sized room contained
two beds – well, three actually, as one was a regular full bed and the
other a bunk. "This is totally rad!" was my first impression.

    "Ugh-ugh, don't even think about the top bed! It's all mine!" Paulie
shook a finger at me in mock threat.

    "And mine is the bottom," Mikey joined in. "So you'll get the full. You
also get two shelves in the closet, and here is the desk space for your
`puter."

    The desks definitely deserved a double take.  Along the left wall the
two impressively long desks had been pushed together upon which there stood
two jumbo screens, an array of speakers, a printer, and a smorgasbord of
other techie gadgets whose purpose I had yet to learn.  Two sleek laptops
lay next to the desktops.  Impressive wasn't the word for it.

    "Speaking of the devil... I don't have a computer and need to buy one
somewhere.  But I'm new to town, so maybe you could help me?" I gave the
guys an expecting look.

    As a matter of fact, I probably could have bought it on my own no
problem, but compared to me the two were pros and knew all the specs that
would be needed.

    "Don't sweat it, bud! Once you are settled in, we'll raid this sweet
place where all the tech majors get their stuff."

    As I stowed away my gear and generally unpacked the guys never left my
side, keeping up a ready supply of useful advice and stories about the
school and dorm life.  The suite, aside from Michael and Paul, was home to
two more guys: Arthur, who – to the guy's delighted peals of laughter
– was pegged down as a mean stiff-upper-lip no-nonsense blue-blood and a
major pain the nether part of the anatomy.  And the other one...

    "Dennis, he... You see, his word goes... at all times.  Dennis really
does know it all, and he'll always help you out.  That's him, all
right. Everybody does as he says. He... I guess he just has this effect on
people.  You'll see for yourself when you meet him, which shouldn't be long
now."

    Mike had a dreamy far-away look on his face as he stared at the
ceiling, which got him a flick on the nose from Paul.

    " You...!" he jumped on Paul and they both fell on the bed, where they
tickled each other mercilessly and laughed hysterically.

    "Hah, these guys sure know how to make you laugh.  Looks like I worried
for nothing, I sure do have some great roommates," was my verdict.  You
just couldn't be around them and not smile.

    "What is this, the kindergarten?" I shouldn't have said that, in
hindsight. I had barely blinked when the two guys were on top of me,
putting me on the receiving end of their combined tickle torture.