Linda looked at her all-in-one stereo and stack of records. "I could put some tunes on," she said, trying to think of something soft and smooth, like side two of "Frampton Comes Alive."
Nancy sighed. "Sure. That sounds fine. What did you want to put on?"
"Peter Frampton. Or Boston." She felt pretty sure that everyone liked Boston.
Nancy's nose wrinkled and she squinted. "Do you have anything from Helen Reddy or Peabo Bryson?"
"No." Linda tried to think of the closest she could come to those in her record collection. "But I've got Linda Ronstadt."
Nancy squinted and shook her head. "Do you have any good movie soundtracks? Like 'My Fair Lady' or 'West Side Story?'"
Linda sighed, her shoulders slumping. She knew that Nancy probably would not like Foreigner, Aerosmith, or Steve Miller either. Led Zeppelin was completely out, even side three of Physical Graffiti. "No. I don't have anything like that, either."
Nancy nodded, her head still on the pillow. "Well your stereo has a radio, doesn't it?"
"Of course."
"AM and FM?"
"Yes." Although Linda could not remember the last time she tried to play the AM radio.
"Well then. See if you can find NPR."
Linda wondered what on earth that was. She knew CPR, cardio pulmonary rescusitation. Was NPR some type of health show? "I guess we could try that," she said as she moved toward her stereo, to turn it on. "What is NPR?"
Nancy squinted again, her teeth showing in a mild frown of disapproval. "You never heard of NPR? National Public Radio?"
"Oh. Sounds like the educational channel on TV?"
"Something like that," Nancy said. "They have some good jazz programs on Sunday nights. And some good talk shows."
Linda tried the AM dial. All she heard was a crackly rock and roll station, static, another crackly rock and roll station, and more static.
After a few more moments of that, Nancy spoke: "Never mind. We'll try another time.
Go ahead and put Peter Frampton on. Keep it low though, cause my headache isn't getting any better."
Linda took the album out of its sleeve and set it on the platter, thinking that it was going to be a long night. She wondered if it would be a long semester, too.
Classes began on Tuesday, giving the students one extra day to find their way around, get their books for their classes and get used to being in college again. That morning she volunteered to show Nancy the dining hall and show her around campus. "That would be great!"