[honeychile]

We all had a good idea of which we wanted, but hadn't told each other at this point - we didn't want to influence each other too much (yeah, and we also discussed the pros and cons of each group over lunch practically every day!). Two memorable Chat Dates I had at this time:

a) The Saturday before Thanksgiving, while we were being hung out to dry to see which invitations we would be getting, a Garnets sister asked me to go on a double date with her & her fiance, and his friend to a football game. While I was at the game, I used the little fan's room, where three Rubies sisters corralled me. "We ARE going to see you at Pref, aren't we? We're really looking forward to it!" I asked them exactly what type of outfit to wear, and they told me good church clothes, then, "You don't have to wear your lucky pin - you don't need the extra luck!" YIPPEEEEE!!!!! It was hard to contain myself when I got back to my Garnets date!

b) On the Monday before Thanksgiving, the Garnets had a Fraternity party with one of the top fraternities on campus. Strangely, it was at this very fraternity house that the four of us from our RC group bonded. Five of the Garnet sisters had been semi-finalists for Homecoming Queen, and the one who was on the Court pulled me aside. "Are you going to pledge Garnets or not?" she asked me. I was shocked - not because of the rush violation, but because of KK asking lil ole me such a loaded question! Stunned, I said, "I guess that depends on whether or not I get a bid." KK said, "I"m going to make sure you get a bid - but I want to know if you're going to accept it." WOW!!!! I later found out that the other three were asked the same thing.

We finally got our invitations, and we accepted to:

Me:
Rubies
Garnets

Ann:
Garnets
Opals

Meg:
Diamonds
Garnets

Lisa:
Garnets
Emeralds

Lisa had been cut by the Rubies! And she had declined Emeralds! We were all beside ourselves, because we had all gone to Emeralds just as a kindness to our Rho Chi, and were seriously kicking ourselves. Surely the Greek Advisor knew what was happening! Lisa ran back to her dorm, crying.

Pref was on the Monday night after Thanksgiving, and were to be an hour and a half long. I wore a midnight blue princess-cut velvet dress that I considered my lucky dress (boy, I sound superstitious, don't I?). When my mother & I were planning my Rush Wardrobe the summer before, she selected this dress as "perfect for Pref". I had my pearl necklace & earrings on, my grandmother's wedding ring, and had navy shoes & bag - complete with a linen handkerchief, also from my grandmother's estate. Can we say that my mother was seriously priming me?

I went to Rubies first. I was the only one of our group going there now, and that depressed me. The sisters all wore long black formals, and hummed as they held lit candles, tied with ribbons in their colors. We were announced, and a wrist corsage with their flowers were put on our left wrist by a sister who then escorted us to their formal living room. A pianist played, with sterling candlebra lit, and we sat, making small talk about the value of sisterhood, until a sister brought a silver tray with the then exotic cheesecake to each of us, on exquisite china. Their china had their letters on it! Yes, I was right at home - even though this was still very much the "rich girl's sorority". Oh, our mongrams (how did they find out my middle initial?!) were in hardened chocolate, propped up against the cheesecake! At a signal, the sisters left, one by one - very smoothly, you couldn't tell until the sister who was next to you left, encouraging us to talk among ourselves. Hmmm... I knew a few of the other PNMs, but none well. We were then escorted by a sister to a darkened room, and placed into a semi-circle. The President spoke, then a sister standing behind each of us handed us her pin, which was on a stuffed mascot. I immediately had tears in my eyes - I recognized the symbolism of even holding their pin! Several others talked about the open meanings of Rubies, and we were handed a candle (tied with the colors). The candles were lit one by one, then the President announced that the light glowed onto our faces and the pins we were holding, reflecting a century of sisterhood that could be ours. We blew out our candles, handed the pins back to the sisters, who then formed two rows for us to walk through. They sang beautiful songs, and several broke ranks long enough to hug us and whisper encouragements - tears flowed freely!

Clinging to my mascot, candle, and corsage, I stumbled teary eyed to where I was meeting with my friends. Could the Garnets even begin to match that?