SCOPE-TECH: 2 of 4

MacMurray College

About 2 weeks into my freshmen year, I was with some friends in one of the dorm lounges (Rutledge basement). There were others there (Sandy, Melody, & Teresa) and when I went to introduce myself, the girls said, "We know who you are, you're 'Scope'*." Strange, I'd never been called that before, and I had never met any of these women before. None the less, 'Scope' was born.

I started writing as 'Scope' in my college newspaper near the end of my first semester freshman year. I wanted to be pseudo-anonymous, but didn't REALLY care if people found out who I was. By my senior year, I bet more people on campus could ID Scope vs. Eric. Through that time, if I only had 2 items a week in the paper, it was a slow week. Then I started creating the Monday paper. Which meant it was really up to me to create the whole thing over the weekend. I even did a couple of posters.

I did try experimenting with alterative "voices" but none rang true, so I settled on the bipolar Eric / Scope relationship that still somewhat exists today. (But Gwen, I'm working on it.)

* Eventually I found out that the name came from the fact that I got busted "scoping" out some schoolmates' butts. I believe it was a full pirouette to check out some passing co-ed's, observed by the afore mentioned trio who were perched on the Rutledge second floor sundeck that got me tagged. I think that "Scope" was probably the best possible nickname to come from those circumstances. "Bumlooker-Tech" and "Cheek Checker-Tech" just don't have the same ring to them.

To be continued...