A Surprising Request Regarding Float Night

When I was a senior, I left Northampton for Vermont to spend the weekend with a would-be sweetheart, Wally, at his home, the first time I’d done such a thing. I’d hoped to keep this sojourn under wraps, but on Saturday afternoon the phone rang. Wally answered, raised his eyebrows. “It’s for you!” he said and handed me the phone. Horrified, I said, “Hello?” and waited for my mother to ask penetrating questions. But it was Miss Clute, my posture picture photographer, whom I liked nevertheless. 

She came directly to the point, asking whether I would agree to be the voice from the island for Float Night some weeks hence. Wholly unprepared for such an honor, I said, “But Miss Clute, why me?” She replied, “Because you’re the second funniest senior and Julie Goetz ’65 can’t make it.” Of course I said I would, and I did, aware every minute before and during Float Night that I had no idea what I was doing. But I got, and have kept, really lovely thank-you notes that came to Comstock House in the following weeks—one, of course, from Miss Clute. But how did she know I was the second funniest senior?

This is just one of the many love stories we've received in conjunction with Smith's 150th. Submit your own using our love story submission form.