That Boy

Which I will be doing at the lake.

All day and maybe even into the night.

“Besides, I have a tank top and board shorts that I will wear over it to swim in.”

“Well, you can wear them to sun in at the lake too, or you're not wearing it at all. I think it should only be worn for su

Ah, yeah. Well, it's a little late for that.

I've got to get out of here!

Mom saves the day by saying, “Maybe you should come swimsuit shopping with me and JJ this week, Paul. You can help us pick out something you feel would be appropriate.” She gives Dad a look of defiance, one eyebrow raised in challenge and her arms crossed in front of her chest.

She's got him so beat.

He'd never go shopping with us in a million years. He still says he is allergic because he equates shopping to torture.

“Uh,” he backtracks, “why don't you let me see it with the shorts. It'll probably be okay that way.”

Yeah, I'm sure it will.

After promising to keep the shorts on and finally getting his approval, I fly back up the stairs.

When Jake arrives, I rush out of the house, so he won't have a chance to talk to my Dad.

Needless to say, I didn't wear the shorts at the river, and Jake liked the suit just fine.

Later in the week, I have what starts out as a great dream. I'm in the empty lot playing catch with Phillip and Da

It's like the perfect day.

Strangely, Da

Then the dream gets really weird.

He leans in to yell at me, but starts KISSING me instead. And, well, he does some other stuff too.

What a nightmare!

Phillip is like a brother to me.

I don't….. I mean, I can't…..well…I shouldn't think about him like that.

It's practically incestuous!

But evidently I'm pretty warped because not only did I really enjoy the dream, I keep finding myself wanting to have it again.

And it's freaking me out.

It really, really is.

The music is cranked up, and the top is cranked down. Phillip and I are in my car, driving to Lincoln, Nebraska on Thursday afternoon.

Why are we going to Lincoln?

We are going on a College Campus Visit.

Now for the rest of your questions, the answers that I give will depend on who you are. For example, if you are a teacher, parent, or guidance counselor, you will hear the following:

Why are you going on a campus visit?

Well, Phillip and I are really looking forward to having the opportunity to get a first hand view of the University of Nebraska. I mean every campus has online tours and information, but there really is no substitute for visiting, when it comes to getting a real feel for what the school is like.

And what will you be doing there?

We will be taking a guided tour of the campus, as well as taking part in a group orientation session. We will also try to sit in on a class, check out the food, and the dorms. We will look at the activities available to us and try to meet with an advisor or professor in our chosen major. Oh, and I especially want to check out the library and the bookstore.

And how will you make the difficult decision of which college to attend?

Well, I'm sure I will make a lengthy pros and cons list for each school we visit, but basically I will choose the school that has the best combination of academics, in my chosen field, and overall best feeling. You know, how comfortable I feel there.

OKAY, so that's a college campus visit in theory. The reality of this trip is probably going to be a bit different from that.

Why are you going on a campus visit?

To visit Da

And what will you be doing there?

Going to parties, checking out cute boys, seeing the dorms, partying, meeting cute college boys and PARTYING. Oh, and going to a football game and checking out the cute boys, when not enthralled by the game.

And how will you make the difficult decision of which college to attend?

I will base my decision on whichever college has the best parties and the cutest boys. Oh, and where I feel comfortable with the parties and the boys.

And the guidance counselor at school tries to make us seniors think the process is so complicated. I mean it's really quite simple.

But the good news is that college visits are an excuse to go party at college with your parents' approval!

Even your teachers' approval. All of our teachers are so happy that Phillip and I are setting such a good example for the other students and taking initiative, that they waived all of our homework for the weekend.

“You don't need to worry about that pesky stuff,” Mrs. Reece told me. “You need to fully immerse yourselves in the collegiate experience.”

Yes, she actually said those words. I told Phillip I pla

And my parents are also proud that I am taking my college choice so seriously. I mean, I did sort of tell them that I had to start early so I could try for early scholarships.

Do they even have early scholarships? And if they do, I'm thinking I had to apply for them junior year, but oh well. I'm not even sure.

I suppose I'll have to get online and look that up while I'm there because I know that will be the first question they'll ask when I see them. Phillip and I have to be on our best behavior Saturday, when we meet our parents and the Diamonds for tailgating before the Husker game. It will be imperative that we act like this is serious.

I'd really like to know who came up with the whole guise of the college recruitment visit.

They were brilliant!

Under no other circumstances would your parents allow you to go away for the weekend, completely unchaperoned!

Now don't get me wrong. When looking at colleges you should decide what is important to you and organize and prioritize. I have made a list of the things that are a DON'T MISS!

Now I appreciate the fact that academics are important, but I really believe that the college's social, can you say party, atmosphere is stratospherically more important.