The summer before my junior year in college I attended my fraternity's national convention. In my fraternity's chapter attending convention was a big deal. We learned one hell of a lot about the fraternity's history during pledge training. So, wanting to attend convention and see guys we learned about in person was something I wanted to do.
The convention was held at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan. The Grand Hotel was on old time resort. The ceilings were high and ornate. The waiters were from a French speaking Caribbean island. The rooms did not have televisions, radios or telephones. At the Grand Hotel you felt like you stepped back in time.
The one thing lacking was college age girls. None were attending the convention. Alumni wives were few and older. At night when going out on the town any college age girl got lots of attention.
The convention was a 4-day event. At the lunch break on day 3 I went to the gift shop to buy toothpaste. I forgot mine. After using fraternity brothers' toothpaste for 2 days, I decided to buy my own.
I walked up to the counter to pay for the toothpaste. The girl at the register was about my age. She stood 5' 3", slim build, B cup boobs, street able looks, light brown straight hair, pixie style parted on the right with every hair in place. She was smartly attired in a dark brown Izod and tan skirt. Her name tag said Cindy. There was no one else in line. She started chatting. Her family owned a Victorian style summer home on the island. She spent summers there. I interjected an occasional un-huh keep the conversation going. Once others got in line I said "Maybe I'll see you tonight."
"I hope so."
Thinking nothing of it I went about my day.
After the evening banquet all us college age guys went out. This night there was a huge bonfire on the beach. After wondering around I saw her.
I walked up to her and said "Hello, Cindy". She looked sharp. Cindy was wearing a dark blue Izod and pleated tan slacks. Her hair was perfect.
"Why hello, nice to see you. How are you?"
"I'm doing great. Mackinac Island is such a neat place with the great Victorian age architecture and no cars, it's relaxing. This must be an incredible place to spend the summer."
"It is. My family built our home when Teddy Roosevelt was president. Would you like to see it.?"
"Absolutely."
"It's down the beach. Let's go."
Cindy grabbed my left hand and we left the bonfire.
While walking along the beach we chatted about our lives. She was from a Detroit suburb, Grosse Pointe. Her family was in the automotive business for generations. She attended Agnes Scott, a women's college in Georgia. She made it sound like a finishing school.
After 10 minutes she led me to a path off the beach, through woods. This was no ordinary path. The path was cedar bark, about 4 feet wide. The path was at a 5-degree grade. Cindy put her right arm around my waist. I did the same with my left arm.
About 200 yards up the path we came upon a classic Victorian mansion. The mansion was white with black shutters. A sign post was lit up by ground lights. The sign said "Packard Place."
I said "Packard Place as in Packard Motor Car Company?"
"Very good. My great-grandfather founded the company."
"My old man talks about Packards. He is taken by the motto 'Ask the man who owns one'."
There was a loud party inside the house with people her parent's age. Off to the mansion beach side was what looked like a carriage house.
Cindy said "Let me show you where I stay at Packard Place."
We walked arm in arm to the carriage house. The door opened onto the main room where carriages were once kept. The room had pool, air hockey and foosball tables on indoor/outdoor carpet. There were 2 classic pinball machines. The walls were adorned with framed Packard posters, mostly from the late 30s and 40s. The cars in the posters were gorgeous. Like works of art.
We wondered from poster to poster. Cindy explained what she knew about the cars. For a finishing school girl, she knew a lot about cars.
