When I returned to college after the holidays I had a new roommate. Surprise, surprise. My old roommate, Lauralee, had decided over the break to drop out of school and join the Air Force. She wanted to fly. It didn’t take long to find out my new roomie had a definite fear of flying.

Mary’s mother and father helped her bring in her things as I walked in the door. I watched in horror as they unpacked the stuffed animals. She didn’t look like a college student. No, Mary looked like Anna Kournikova. But younger. Anna has breasts as everyone knows. I wasn’t too sure about Mary. She wore a very baggy sweatshirt with “I Love Jesus” on the front.

Her father, a Baptist minister, took me aside in the hallway. “Mary has led a rather sheltered life,” he explained. “Never been permitted to date or that sort of thing. I would appreciate it, Annie, if you would be like a big sister to her. Be a mentor. Show her the ropes of university life. Mary is quite shy and introverted.”

“Of course I will, Reverend Dawson. I’d be happy to help Mary with her first time for everything. Lead her by the hand to class. Take her to the cafeteria. Whatever she needs to know. I see she has a laptop computer. I’ll connect it to the network. If she needs assistance with her assignments I’ll be right there for her. She seems so sweet and naïve.”

“That’s wonderful, Annie,” the preacher purred. “Mary is extremely intelligent so I’m sure she’ll catch on quickly.”

“Yes, you have to be smart to get in the honors dorm,” I agreed.

Her parents departed reluctantly as Mary clung to them tightly. When they finally left she began to sniffle and huge tears dripped laggardly from misty pale green eyes.

“What’s wrong, Mary?” I asked, putting my arm around her and dabbing her face with a Kleenex. I wondered, am I back to babysitting?

“I’ve never been away from home before, Annie. Not even for a single night. I’m homesick already. I miss my dog. Moses--a wonderful devoted golden retriever.”

“Let’s go get something to eat,” I suggested. “That always makes me feel better when I’m depressed. We’ll go to the Burger King a block from campus. Dinner is my treat. There is something about a whopper that makes me forget sad and lonely.” I smirked but she had no idea what I meant.

We sat in the restaurant devouring whoppers and fries and onion rings. Mary told me her life story and it only took an hour. Sang solos and played the organ in the church. Taught Sunday school to pre-teens. Liked to read Harry Potter books but had to hide them from her father. He said they were of the devil. Her favorite is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Never had a boyfriend so she said. Father wouldn’t permit dating and still won’t. He said he had people watching her even now. She looked around suspiciously.

Back at the dorm I stripped off my jeans and sweater. When I undid my bra and let it fall to the floor Mary stared at my breasts so curiously.

“Why are you taking off your clothes, Annie?” she asked a bit anxiously I thought.

“Uh…I’m going to take a shower. We share the bathroom with two other girls in the room on the other side. Personal hygiene has to be…uh…sort of scheduled. I have an 8:00 A.M. class so I wash off the dirt at night. Don’t have to get up any