The Truth About Socks – A Monologue by Sue Ray-Smolik

It is with a GREAT deal of sadness that I speak about
something that is near and dear to our hearts, which,
in fact, is only deceiving us.
Yes, that is correct,
I am talking about…
SOCKS!

Little fleece lined, cushion comforted, emotional
support systems for our feet.
Cuddling our toes on chilly mornings,
And absorbing the sweat from our steamy sneakers.
I mean, who else in our lives is willing to do THAT?
You could even say they comfort our “soles”…pun
intended.

Yet, are they REALLY who they seem to be?

NO! The hard, cold truth is that from the moment
they enter the spin cycle on laundry day they are
plotting their escape like little traitor sock ninjas,
they vanish without a trace!
“Hey George, I think I’m gonna go for it today!”
“Oh sure Sol, I got chur back man!”
And somehow, mysteriously, they NEVER fall out the
other side of the dryer vent with the lint balls.
They simply disappear from the world as we know it.
How does that even happen?

But, that’s not all, oh no! As if that betrayal of our
trust isn’t enough, they have the unmitigated gall to
leave behind a reminder to remind us of our folly.
A droopy, purposeless little replica of themselves
that’s left to hang out uselessly in the corner of our
sock drawers.
Because, foolish believers that we are, we can’t
QUITE give up the dream that one day…yes, one fine
day, we WILL be reunited.

And THAT, dear friends, is the disturbing truth about
socks.
Now, you know, so consider yourselves warned!

The College Experience

From Shy Freshman to Published Authors,

What the College Experience Can Do For You

Like many high school graduates, we were wondering if college should be our next step. We had concerns about what living in a dorm and being forced to meet and share a small living space with people we had never met might be like. As most young adults do, we sometimes doubted that we really knew what we wanted to do as a career. Let me share with you our story, and what the college experience ended up being for us.

When my roommate, Nancy, and I first met at Clarion University over four decades ago now in the Fall of 1981, we were just two very shy, very uncertain, small town girls. Not originally roommates, we simply lived in the same dorm and actually did not even meet there. Instead, we met at a marching band rehearsal. She, being a talented flute player, and I, having decided to try out for the flag squad as part of my goal to “put myself out there more” and get a taste of new experiences my shyness and work commitments sometimes had kept me from during high school.

  Though I had still found plenty of activities to feed my social butterfly side, marching band conflicted with my choir and work schedules, so it had not been on my list then. However, in college I was determined to do it all! So much so, that between band, choir, musicals, and part time work, I found myself on academic probation my first semester. A bumpy start to my college career indeed. Realizing that I had perhaps overestimated the amount of activities I could manage, that became my only semester of band once I prioritized what my available time allowed me to partake in and still be successful. And, not to worry, I did graduate on the Dean’s list after retaking a class that summer, and learning the important life skill of work/social life balance that college helps us prepare for. I was still glad I took that semester to squeeze in the marching band experience though, because not only was it a lot of fun, it also blessed me with these wonderful lifelong friendships.

As the newbies at practice, Nancy and I found ourselves at one point milling about on the same side of the football field in  “the ones who don’t know anyone else yet” corner with another freshman whose roommates and us became lifelong friends, but more on that later! 

Nancy and I walked back to our dorm together that day, talking the entire two miles. Somehow during that journey it was decided that we should roll down a hill, no reason mind you, just because it was there and we could. Unfortunately, one of the cutest upperclassmen we could imagine had the misfortune to be walking by just in time for us to land unceremoniously at his feet. He graciously smiled, muttered “freshman”, and shook his head at our obvious new girl status. The giggles that followed over our embarrassment led to a friendship that continues to this day. 

We became roommates for the second semester, and along with our other band friend, Susan, her roommate, Mel, and their friend, Karen, we formed a tightly knit friendship group that has lasted for over four decades. This, despite the fact that at one time we lived in four different states. Though Nancy needed to change schools after our sophomore year in order to pursue a degree program that was not offered at Clarion and moved back to the Harrisburg area to do so, our friendship, and our group’s friendship remained strong. There is just something about being that young, away from home, and finding people who share your interests that bonds you. It is an amazing gift, and one we would not have experienced if we had not decided to take a risk and expand our horizons. Not only to attend college in the first place, but to join an activity we thought we might enjoy, even if it meant we would know noone at first. 

Through the years we have taken trips, been to and in each other’s weddings, watched our children grow up, and been an ever present sounding board for all of the joys, fears, dreams, heartbreaks, successes, and failures of our lives. Sadly, we said our final goodbye to our dear friend Melanie in 2012 after a long battle with cancer. This was a harsh reminder of how valued this gift of friendship should be. 

Looking back I now realize the full value of the college experience. The lessons learned, both in the classroom and on a personal level, have turned out to be some of the most memorable and valuable tools in our lives. From late night conversations about life goals over a shared washing machine when we didn’t have enough money to do our own load. And to be honest, we wanted to use our savings to splurge on a donut when we went “jogging”, quite conveniently, right past Mister Donut! To cheering each other on from the sidelines as we both realized those dreams of becoming published authors just as our fifties were winding to a close…amazing to think that it all began with that momentous decision to attend college.

Dr. Nancy (Crawford) Shank  Associate Director, University of Nebraska Public Policy Center and Research Assistant Professor,  Playwright, Author, Podcast Host-The Front Porch Club  https://nancyshank.com
Sue Ray-Smolik  Teacher, Singer, Author                                                       https://SueSmolik.com

It has truly been an amazing journey, and I am so glad we continue to overcome our fear of the unknown and venture into new experiences. I remain incredibly grateful that we are still in each other’s lives to share both our struggles and our successes along the way.

By: Sue Ray-Smolik    CUP Class of 1984

A true story of faithful waiting. Available on Amazon now.

If you have ever wondered what your teacher does on her snow day…