Robert Berry's Web Site

Having determined that my sanity depended on escaping from The Towers, I showed up at the housing office on the evening of Monday, September 12, 1983, prepared for a long wait. I didn’t have to go far: the office was located on the ground floor of the Towers complex, just an elevator ride away from my room in LaBorde.

I’d brought with me supplies to help pass the time, including the Emergency Notebook and a pen; I’m not sure exactly what I was planning to write, but it ended up being a record of the twelve hours that followed.

8:09 PM. Well, here I am, about one minute into my wait for the Shoe. I went ahead and set up [my stuff] because I saw another guy doing the same as me: checking periodically to see if anybody was out here. I set up and he appeared immediately. So far, no problem, but after five minutes, what did I expect? I’m well prepared, though: I got my Walkman, tapes, The Hobbit, bedspread, pillow, milk crate for storage and one to sit on, Doritos, breakfast and granola bars, sketch book, pen and pencil … I’m pretty well set up.

But it’s difficult to comprehend what it’s going to be like. I don’t particularly want to sleep out here on the bricks, but it may turn out that there’s just not anything else to do…. What’s it gonna be like, staying in one place for twelve and a half hours? Oh well, whatever it’s like, it will be worth it.

8:36 PM. It’s beginning to occur to me just how long this will take. I’m starting to think I could just go away and come back later. I must remind myself what I’ll get if I stay.

8:44 PM. I just went up [to my room] to get some textbooks so I could catch up on some homework. Also I called Pat and asked if he could bring the sleeping bag Marie said I could borrow. Maybe I’ll make it.

10:28 PM. Wasted a lot of time talking with Pat. I wish he could stay all night — that would make it almost fun. Right now he’s gone to get me some change at 7-Eleven. He’s got studying to do.

Well, it’s just nine and a half hours now. Now that I’ve got a sleeping bag, maybe I will sleep some tonight. But right now is early even for a normal night.

For several hours, there were only two of us: me, and a guy named Mike. As the evening wore on and nobody else showed up, my resolve faltered; and when Mike decided to take a break, it nearly failed.

11:02 PM. Well, I managed to detain Pat for a while, but he finally had to go. Now I’m all alone. I hope I can do this. If there were lots of people here I’d feel more confident about it. But being one of only two, I can’t help thinking it would be OK for me to go sleep in my room awhile and just come out here early in the morning….

I know that if I do stay out here, I will get [the room]. I also know that I may laugh at myself for sleeping (or sitting) out here. But far better than kicking myself for not camping out, and having to stay in LaBorde. Getting to the Shoe is worth it. It’s got to be! I must stay out here! But now Mike is gone — temporarily, I think, but who knows? He took all his stuff with him and said something about sleep.

Maybe I’ll go up to my room and sleep until 3 or 4. Should I? I’m all alone now. I feel stupid. Well, not stupid, really — I just feel like this isn’t necessary.

11:11 PM. Look, if there’s nobody out here by now, I will go upstairs. I’ll see if I can sleep. Maybe I’ll stay up and come check down here periodically. I don’t know, but this is pointless.

11:16 PM. I packed up and was going up the stairs when a girl and a guy walked up to the rail and looked down. I chickened out. Look, it may be utter hell for the next nine and a quarter hours, but I’m gonna do it! It’s just nine hours! I’ve sat in a car for longer. I’ll sleep some, I’ll read some … maybe a combination of Men At Work, Tolkien, and sleep will make it go faster. I’m not giving up!

The crisis passed. Soon Mike returned, and he and I decided to put some rules in place for the rest of the night. Using a page in the back of my Emergency Notebook, we started a sign-up sheet; this would allow campers to come and go without losing their place in line. We planned roll calls every two hours, and anyone not present for a roll call would be struck from the list.

It wasn’t long before I was sure I’d made the right decision.

11:53 PM. Things are looking up! I’m glad I stuck it out this long. Two guys just appeared to sign, and went to get their stuff. They’re staying all night. Plus a friend of Mike’s. The others are bringing cards, Pepsi, snacks — this may be fun!

1:30 AM. This is fun! Mike E. [camper #4] and I are playing pretzel-poker. [We wagered pretzels, with an additional rule that allowed any broken pretzel to be eaten. As the game went on, we found ourselves "accidentally" breaking more and more pretzels.] There are eight of us here now, two [with] sleeping bags.

2:32 AM. This is downright enjoyable. Right now Mike and I are listening to music via my Walkman. I may actually be sad when this is all over. I definitely want to keep in touch with Mike [#4] and Barry [#5]. [I never saw either of them again.]

Eventually my energy dwindled and the party atmosphere began to wane; I no longer lacked the resolve to stay all night, but I began to doubt my stamina.

3:33 AM. I’m getting a little tired now. I’ve got my bedspread, and I may go to sleep for a little bit. It has been pointed out by Bill [#8] that although they [the housing-office employees] may show up at 8:30, we may not be admitted — he says until 9:45, but the Room Change Sheet says 9:00. We can hope….

3:39 AM. I just reread all this. I know now I won’t laugh at myself for this! But I came awfully close to blowing it.

5:51 AM. Well, I’ve been sleeping sort of on-and-offly. Now I’m up, had a granola bar. Alex [#10] just turned up. About time for the sky to start getting light, I’d say.

Not everything went smoothly. My notes do not record the precise details, but at some point during the night, camper #3, Tony R., must have missed a roll call; his name was duly struck from the list. But he returned, and he had some reason to contest the loss of his place. This matter remained unresolved as the sun rose.

6:14 AM. We’ve packed up and lined our stuff up by the door to be conducive to a line. I’ve had a breakfast bar. I must’ve really slept, ’cause it feels like morning. Just waiting now.

7:33 AM. Still an hour and a half to wait. The Tony R. dispute is unsettled. I hope it works out. It is, of course, bright daylight. People are appearing — 21 so far.

8:15 AM. Well, I can hardly believe it’s almost over. At 8:20 we’re lining up.

The doors of the housing office opened, as scheduled, at 8:30 AM. We were admitted to the office, but asked to wait in the waiting area until the processing of transfers was officially to begin. In the meantime, our ad hoc governing council had ruled in the matter of Tony R., officially bumping him to #11, and with no bloodshed.

8:39 AM. Doesn’t start ’til 9. I’m here on the couch. No problem. The Tony R. dispute is solved — if you ask me, for the better. Everything is A-OK!

8:47 AM. After twelve hours, these last thirteen minutes seem interminable. Twelve minutes now. Aaggh! I’m pretty sleepy. I may not be able to make it to German at 9:30, and even if I can, I may just skip it anyway and catch some Zs.

9:03 AM. I DID IT! 4-4C is MINE!

It’s over … now what?

I had succeeded. The third of four bedrooms in apartment Pinckney 4-4, just upstairs from my best friend’s room in Pinckney 3-3, was now my official housing assignment. I was exhausted, and I ended up missing two classes that Tuesday; but in retrospect it was obvious to me that I’d done the right thing. Over the next two days I moved my stuff to the Horseshoe, said farewell to my roommate Steve, and moved in with three new apartment-mates: Steve, Steve, and Julian.

On Thursday night I slept in my new room. If any of my new apartment-mates snored, I wasn’t aware of it, because I had my door closed.