But I got cut. Partially, it was because we were back in the days when compers just plain got treated unfairly. (I ultimately became Senior Editor of The Crimson and, ironically enough, in charge of running the comp; the guy who became managing editor my year had been cut when he first comped, too.) Partially it was because I had been burned by running incorrect information I should have verified and committing probably that spring's worst reporting error. Mostly, though, I had made a lot of people think I was cocky and arrogant. They were right.

This was the first time in my life I had been really rattled. When the managing editor told me I'd have to come back the next fall and do four more weeks, I came very close to slugging him. What hurt especially was that my then-very-serious-girlfriend was also comping news, and she got elected. All our friends had been telling us all spring how excited they were that we were going to become Crimeds.

I knew I was either going to break down and cry, get dangerously drunk, or commit homicide if I went back to Weld that night. So I called my best friend, Mark, and got on the Green Line to go see him for the night. Just being back in my suburban hometown, I knew, would make it easier to deal with.

We talked for hours. I explained the whole horrible story to him. We went to the Mister Coffee on Route 9 where we used to hang out after parties in high school. We drove around.

I will always remember what happened as we were driving down Oak Street to go back to his house. A song came on the radio:

Dear Sir or Madam:

Will you read my book?

It took me years to write

Won't you take a look?...

And I need a job

And I want to be a

Paperback Writer,

Paperback Writer

MARK LOOKED over at me from the driver's seat. A sly, sardonic grin spread slowly across his face. With all the sarcasm he could muster, he started singing right along with John Lennon: "Paperback writer, paperback writer, I want to be a paperback writer..."

I had stayed smoldering most of the evening. Now I started to cool down some. I started to relax. I started to smile.