Red sky at night,
Sailor’s delight,
Red sky in morning,
Sailor’s take warning
The proverb that my parents used in excess stood still in my head. A ruby red hue consumed the morning sky, causing the sunrise to remind me of a bloody mary. It is too early to be thinking about alcohol. Am I an alcoholic?
Debatable.
Regardless, the bloody mary sunrise over Steelport is breathtaking. The first thing people notice when driving into the city are the skyscrapers. The behemoth’s of the concrete flora shoot upwards from the concrete towards the sun, each one trying to prove their superiority over the others. Most of them look identical to each other, having each face covered in the stacking of layer upon layer of some sleek looking glass on top of each other.
However, there are a few that stand out from their peers.
The Solar Tower, otherwise known as “The Throne,” is the largest building in the world that just so happens to sit on a cliff on the outskirts of Steelport. Every inch of it is covered in some state of the art solar panel that collects both sun and moon light to power the entirety of the city’s electricity grid.
At the very center of the city lies the Steelport Municipal Tower, otherwise known as “The Spine.” The home of government and all public works and services for the city of Steelport.The architect for the building was the one who coined the nickname “The Spine,” and even went so far to design the building after a human’s spine. It is a bit off putting seeing the building the first time, but over time it grows on you; and, in an odd way, the design of the building invokes a higher duty and connection to your city and fellow citizens for some reason.
Last, but not least, is the University of Steelport’s Pillar of Learning beaconing students and faculty to its hallowed grounds in the city’s greenspace along the coast. Classrooms, dorms, labs, food courts, pools, sport’s fields, everything that makes a university campus is all there in one massive tower. One of our country’s most prestigious institutions of higher learning call’s Steelport home, and will be the place I call home for the next couple of years starting today.
After all the awe from seeing the skyscrapers subsides, the people begin to notice the pockets of industry, hamlets of residential, and hubs of commerce that fill in the remaining space of the city. The commerce and industry areas are always bustling with economic activity, and relative safety. In contrast, the hamlets are always calm and filled with the happiness and peace of normal ongoings of life.
The mix of modern and industrial architecture aesthetics blend together to produce a beautiful work of art that is titled Steelport, which I call home.
I love my home.
Taking in the sight of my home was amplified by the smooth jazz from my noise canceling headphones. Leaving me alone to appreciate all that Steelport had to offer.
A tap on my shoulder reminded me that I was not alone in transit. I hated having to shift my focus away from Steelport to whomever was asking for my attention.
It was Brad, his thin black glasses matched the thinning hair on his head, and accented the brown eyes that his glasses granted vision to. I completely forgot that I was sitting next to him
“Hey Addy, we are all as excited as you are to be moving in today, but would you please stop pumping your leg?” I stopped my unconscious leg movement once I was made aware of it, “Thank you,” he put his earbuds back in while he slumped back in his corner of the limo, “Finally, I can sleep without being woken up at random from your leg smacking into me.”
“How the fuck can you sleep Brad? We are about to be starting college at one of the most prestigious universities in the world, aren’t you excited? Our futures begin today!” I hadn’t been able to sleep for the past week leading up to today. I started diving into the course work for my classes already. Reading ahead and taking notes only further enhanced my excitement.
“That is all fine and dandy Addy, but my future is with my family’s company. It was determined for me before I was born,” Brad sprawled across the back row of seats and used his hands as a pillow, “Now please let me sleep before we get there. You should try sleeping as well, we have a long night in front of us.”
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“What do you mean a long night? The itinerary they sent us said after we move in, there is an orientation and tour of the building,” I opened up the schedule I printed, and had crumbled in my hand to look over to review once more.
The following is the schedule for the day…
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
* Move in to room
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
* Orientation
* Student/Faculty Panel
12:30 PM - 4:00 PM
* Tour
4:15 PM - 6:00 PM
* Ice Breakers
* Dinner
6:30 PM - 7:00 PM
* Floor Meeting
I crumbled my schedule back into my hand, and threw it at Brad, “Yo Dingus, look at the schedule I printed out. It says we are all done by seven, after our floor meeting.”
Brad jolted up from the paper’s impact, he picked it up and unfolded it for examination, “Addy, as smart as you are, you are a dumbass sometimes,” with the schedule in one hand, he extended his free hand forward palm up, “Can you give me a pen?”
Why the hell does he need a pen? I’ll entertain this, I reached into my pocket and withdrew my pens. One red, one blue, and one black. I placed the black one in his hand.
“Thanks,” Brad quickly began scribbling something on the schedule, and then handed both back to me. “Now look at my addition I added, you forgot to add it when you were making your schedule.” Looking at my schedule now, the addition Brad made was written to fill the whole void of white space underneath the last point I had.
7:00 PM - ???
* PARTY!!!
“Damn, looks like I did forget something,” as much as I was looking forward to my studies, I am just as excited to rage. “Despite being a dumbass Brad, you do have your moments of brilliance.”
Brad returned to his lax position, “I know. Now can I please sleep before we pick up the others?”
“Sure,” Brad didn’t want any further conversation, unless it is in his sleep, “You know for someone who gets as much beauty sleep as you, you sure are ugly.”
Brad rolled over yawning, “Shut up Addy.”
I couldn’t see his face, but I know both him and I shared a smile at my jab.
I resituated my headphones on my head, and pulled out my phone to see the nagging reminder it was only seven in the morning. With Brad sleeping, I had to find a way to entertain myself for the next hour until we picked up the others.
My phone showed 11 text notifications; 10 from our group chat Dumbasses & Dunces, and one from my mom.
Out of the 10 from our group chat, two were from Sergei asking Brad what time he would be arriving, the other eight were from Alec, a mix between asking Brad what time he would arrive as well as jabbing at him for his lacking communication skills.
Before seeing what my mom sent me, I can only guess that it was her bitching at me for something. I responded to the group chat first.
Addy: We will be there in an hour or so.
Sergei: Okay
Alec: Understood, I’m guessing Brad is sleeping
Addy: You guessed right.
Alec: Why am I not surprised.
My text from my mom was entirely different from what I expected.
Mom: Good luck with school! I wish I could be there to move you in. I am so proud of
you, I will give you a call later. I got called into the office, so I will call you later today. Rebel and Lulu miss you already. Remember to focus on your studies and to behave, but don’t forget to enjoy yourself!
Well that’s a pleasant surprise, since she’s at work I’ll just wait till she calls later to talk. A new notification popped up on my phone, this time it was a news headline.
FORMER PROFESSOR GATHERS PROTESTORS OUTSIDE UNIVERSITY OF STEELPORT DEMANDING ADMINISTRATION ADMITS MORE DIVERSE STUDENTS
Great. Couldn’t they have chosen any other day to do this shit. The University of Steelport has been scrutinized for years by “social justice advocates” because of the school’s lack of diversity.
Last year they were attacking the school for their decision to fire a professor who was found guilty abusing his power over his students. The professor in question would solicit sexual favors from students in return for passing grades in his classes. However, he stated the main factor in the school’s decision to fire the professor was because he was black.
The school rejected the claim, and shared the findings of their internal investigation and hearings surrounding the issue. Despite their findings and evidence, the professor was never charged in criminal court. The professor eventually ended up suing the school for wrongful termination and slander, and somehow won.
The whole ordeal was fucking dispicable, and now the professor is leading a social justice crusade against his previous employer out of spite.
Shit like this angers me, which is why I do my best to avoid it. It is a perfect display of the ignorance of those persecuting an institution that was the first university in America to open its doors to nonwhite students back in 1900, and a continuing advocate for justice and opportunity for all. The institution fought alongside its alumni Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement, and after his unfortunate death, renamed their law school after him.
I could go on and on, but what’s the point. My internal festering will do nothing to clear the bullshit of the situation.
In times like this, I envy those like Brad who can sleep in bliss while the rest of the world bickers and argues over all the crap.
Turning my attention once more to the passing view of Steelport, my attention falls on the red morning sky.
Locking my eyes on its bloody eye.