Point Park College / University / Pittsburgh / Blogging / Flash Fiction

Many times Scott was the only male sitting at the table with the dance majors. They were student ballerinas in black leotards, white tights and blue or pink leg warmers; or some wore street clothes over their dance clothes. Scott was there at their table so often he became a fixture to them. He listened to them talk.

They talked about birth, pregnancy, abortion, having babies, breast feeding and their menstrual cycles. They talked about dance. They talked about sex and men. What in the world was wrong with men? He assured them he was on their side. It was quite an education.

He was always in love with one of them, but being broke all the time he could do nothing about it. Any relationship would progress until it came up against his destitution. The school was in downtown Pittsburgh. He had a room at the YMCA across the street and lived by public assistance. He did not know why he could never stay in school or hold down a job. A great sense of futility would come over him and he would no longer be able to put forward a sustained effort. Writing was the only thing that brought him happiness even though some of the things he wrote about were very painful. Being a fixture was the cheapest method of being near the one he was in love with and of getting educated about women.

Scott's contact with student ballerinas ended abruptly when the school put in a new security system.