Free The Body in the Ivy by Katherine Hall Page Page A

be so complicated as to require two meetings? Her Big Sister had warned her to pay attention. That they would be tested on their sign-outs and other regulations.
    At least she had a single. If she didn’t want to talk toanyone, she could shut the door. Thank God for that—and she could, Yahweh, more specifically. Another Jewish girl at the school she’d attended in Manhattan had told her Jews always got singles at schools like Pelham. There were thirty-four freshmen in this dorm and she was the only one in a single, so it appeared the information was correct. Someplace, they’d put three girls in together. There was no Hillel chapter listed among Pelham’s clubs, so she’d have to rely on chance to identify her lansmen, or rather,-women. What was the college nervous about? It wasn’t contagious and far more likely that a Jehovah’s Witness or fundamentalist would try to proselytize than a Jew. But then there wouldn’t be too many of them, either, if any. Too extreme. Too “not one of us.”
    Required morning chapel had only been discontinued last year; two semesters of Biblical Studies had not. She’d seen several black girls at the picnic. Presumably they’d be in singles, too. And any Asian girls. Anyone different. The Chinese Civilization course was called “Chink Civ.” Her Big Sister was taking it and had rattled the course nickname off without hesitation.
    Rachel was willing to bet that the majority of those girls at the picnic happily consuming burgers with their straight teeth, tossing their shiny hair, showing off their smooth, not too dark, tanned skin in sleeveless oxford-cloth blouses, believed firmly that God was an Episcopalian and the Jews, clever as they were, had messed up forever and ever, world without end, when they killed Christ. Amen.
    Depression settled over her like a sour washcloth. She missed her room in the Golds’ Upper West Sideapartment with its view of tall buildings, sidewalks, streets, rooftops, and water towers. At night, she always pulled her shade up when she turned out her light so she could see the White Way outside—a sight that never failed to enchant her. She still couldn’t understand why her parents had refused to let her go to Juilliard—or any other music school. Her teacher had pleaded with them, but they had been firm. Her mother had gone to Pelham and her best friends were still her Pelham buddies. They wanted Rachel to have what they called a “normal college experience.” There would be plenty of time for her music later, and besides, Pelham had an excellent music department, although you couldn’t major in it. “Normal!” Rachel had shouted at them. What was normal about a place that didn’t let you major in music? And what was normal about being in a school without men? And what was normal about living on a campus in the middle of nowhere? Sure, there was a bus to Boston and Cambridge from the center of town, but it took an hour. Students couldn’t have cars until second semester senior year, not that Rachel cared. She didn’t even have a driver’s license. You didn’t need to have one in the city. Her brother, Max, didn’t have one, either. Kids from the suburbs had licenses and cars. She would never live in the suburbs. Again, she amended bitterly, gazing out the window at the walls of foliage that bordered the grassy quadrangle below.
    Max. He was the only one who understood. Her eyes filled with tears as she thought back to last night. He’d known she wouldn’t be able to sleep and had slipped in to talk to her. He didn’t try to reassure her with any bullshit, just said he knew how she must be feeling. He’dbe feeling the same way in a year. Max was even more talented than Rachel. From an early age, he had demonstrated extraordinary gifts—a perfect ear and the ability to pick up virtually any instrument in no time. For a while,