"An Outsider's Education" by fcp (fcp2718@poboxes.com). Set in the exotic environment of Princeton University during March Madness, this is a romantic story about strangely normal college students falling in love and having sex for the first time. You'll probably understand the story a little better if you know something about basketball {otherwise you'll miss the irony of Princeton students, who are actually students, playing in a major tournament against professional amateurs from the rest of the United States) and "the black experience" in America {otherwise you'll miss a major part of Tracy's emotional background}. However, even if you are uninformed regarding this topics, you can use this story as a pleasant entry-point to expand your cultural horizons.

For perfectly good reasons, Tracy has grown deeply attached to Don; and for perfectly good reasons she says no when he suggests they make love. For equally good reasons, her refusal stresses Tracy out, and her two closest friends counsel her. In the process everyone discloses details about their adolescent sexual experiences. The eventual first time between Tracy and Donald is extremely sexy and romantic.

Cultural footnotes: "That's all right, that's okay. You're going to work for us someday!" That's Princeton's informal official cheer. "Hope springs eternal in the human breast...." That's in either the Constitution or "Casey at the Bat."

The most realistic passage in this story is this brief one: ""Oh no, not Dick Vitale! Get the ear-plugs!" {Note to foreigners: DV is a loud-mouthed, demonstrably ignorant basketball announcer who uses abbreviations in absurd situations. His advice to prevent pregnancy would be, "OK, baybeee. No S tonight without a C."}

This story is not perfect: for example, I think the resolution of Tracy's relationship with her mother is hasty and contrived. But this is an exceptionally good story. Don't miss it!