I have fond recollections of what we call “the year living dangerously“, that being our year on University Avenue as students way back in the day. The modern accommodations, the responsiveness to any issues by our landlord, the spacious well heated rooms, all the benefits that living in the student ghetto afforded to those lucky enough to experience it.*
So on a recent Kingston homecoming I thought I would visit the house we lived in, with so many great (although somewhat hazy) memories. Returning to the scene of the crime so to speak, although I don’t think you can call it a crime if there was no conviction.**
I knocked on the front door and a young lady peeked around the door jamb. I explained “I lived here in the 70’s as an engineering student and I am wondering if I could take a walk around, it would be very interesting to see how the place looks today”. She quickly shut the door and I am pretty sure I heard a deadbolt click into place.
I was impressed with how quickly the police arrived on the scene. I tried to explain to the officer that what we had here was a failure to communicate. “Oh, you mean like in Cool Hand Luke?” *** Picturing my remaining days in a work gang on a Florida prison farm, I said “No, not quite like that”.
It appears the young lady didn’t believe I was an engineering alumni because my jacket was gold and not purple, and had some numbers on the arm that didn’t make sense to her.
On my next homecoming visit I skipped University Avenue and went straight to The Ports where I was served with a frosty cold draught, as opposed to a restraining order.
*Editor’s Comment: I believe this is what is known as sarcasm.
**Editor’s Comment: Having charges dropped in a plea bargain may still merit calling it a crime, or crimes as the case may be.
***Editor’s Comment: The 1967 movie “Cool Hand Luke” starring Paul Newman has the famous line from the Florida prison work gang Captain “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate. Some men, you just can’t reach.” Newman was nominated for an academy award for his leading role, while George Kennedy won the Oscar for best supporting actor.
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