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Overview
Our hero returns home once again after his perilous call to duty. He planned on returning as a conquering hero, instead comes back as just another schlub who was in the Army. Despondent at his lack of spiritual progression- and possible regression- he takes a job at a local factory to think things out once again. He eventually decides to use his GI bill and attend the State University a couple of hours drive from his hometown. He figures college may not be everything but the assembly line is not very gratifying, other than the paycheck. So he takes his savings, says goodbye to his mother and heads off to the campus.
Episode One: "A Progressive Education at a Price You can Afford!"
Our hero arrives on campus and immediately feels out of place. He knows that he won't be able to blend in with the crowd. He's three to four years older than the average freshman. They're wide eyed and bushy tailed, leaving home for the first time, excited about the new experience of college life. At first he holds them in disdain- spoiled American teenagers ignorant of what life was like in the outside world. They didn't know that for most of the world daily life wasn't spent in worrying about where the next party was. But gradually he eased. They were good kids he thought, he would have been the same way a few years ago, especially now that the war was over. Eventually his roughness wears off and he starts making friends, but as always, remains somewhat hidden and aloof.
Episode Two: Idylls of the Dean or "The Splendor in the Quad"
Our hero starts to become human again and begins to realize that maybe he does have place in this world. Even though he his several years older than his peers, they accept him as one of their own and actually starting asking him for advice based on his experience beyond the schoolyard. He develops confidence in himself, and unwittingly draws the attention of an admirer, a pretty college coed on the prowl for love and romance. Will he be the man that she wants him to be? Will he be the man he wants to be? Is this true love or only a passing fancy? You'll have to read on to be sure.
Episode Three: "To Touch Infinity in our Lifetime"
In the waning days of college life, our hero prepares himself for his career. With many of the pursuits of youth behind him, he now has time to sit and reflect on the higher aspects of life. He will have no more visions, and expects to live out his productive years as a morally behaved citizen in a functioning society. He hopes he can live up to that promise- to be a success, a contributor to the greater good. He delves into the deeper levels of science and mathematics pondering the basis of time and matter. He grapples with the concept of infinity, a convenient term to hold what's not understood. Time becomes almost an obsession with him, he embarrasses himself in class by declaring that it is possible to somehow stop time, and from there a wrinkle in space can occur. But he knows that he won't be accepted, and that's alright, it's only an idea, a fancy based on an occurrence long ago. So our story ends at this point, possibly to be picked up later at another period of time.