Leaving The Cocoon-Options

Ah yes, I had big plans, plans that would fast track my career. I applied and had been accepted at a private college in Springfield, Missouri, and by working and using student loans, I could graduate in three years.The school had the programs that I wanted, and I had lots of relatives in Missouri, There was, however, one big obstacle in the person of my father.

My dad was above all else a  devoted father. He loved his children until the day he died, and I never had to doubt that love. However, he was also very pragmatic and very frugal, and he found the idea of going off to a distant place for college ludicrous when "you have a fine college in Coeur d ' Alene that will save you lots of money and you can stay here and commute over there for two years.

As much as I found the idea to be repugnant, I realized that it did have some merit.So, while many of my classmates journeyed off to exotic places like Moscow, Boise, Pocatello, Missoula, Spokane, and all points west-all aboard, I became part of a share the ride commute to the Lake City for my first year of post high school scholastic endeavor. OK, the year at NIJC was not too bad. I commuted until about Thanksgiving time and then decided that I had enough of the slip sliding away thrills, and my older brother and I decided to split a tiny apartment at the Blackstone Motel on Sherman Ave. Ah, my first real time away from home.

I had officially left the cocoon.