A drinking problem and an unfortunate tendency to seduce the younger and prettier girls in his classes. Supposedly he had finally got pregnant the daughter of an influential and wealthy University Trustee and that meant the end of his career as a teacher. Yet Ben had been unable to leave campus life completely and had supposedly drifted from one college to another performing menial jobs. His past was mostly forgotten now and this job as watchman at Seaside College was the best he'd found in a long time. If Ben drank now, Victoria thought to herself, he must do it pretty secretly. Sometimes he did seem to walk a little strangely, with a funny look on his face, but that was mostly late in the evenings and on weekends.

Ben must have been a really handsome man at one time, the young girl thought. His hair, even though gray, was still fairly thick and traces of what must have been its original deep brown color showed through. Even though his body was a little heavy, it was the heaviness of a big man, not a fat one, and the way he sometimes moved, especially if the day was nice and he was feeling good, hinted at the grace and style that must have been his before the alcohol ruined him. That ruin showed mostly in his face, which was heavily lined and bore a gaunt, haunted look. His mind seemed to have been burned out a little also, so that his speech would ramble from time to time. But all in all he was a gentle man and young Victoria had found a special place in her heart for him. Somewhere deep inside herself she knew she liked this relationship because it was safe. All of the innocent young girl's natural cravings drew her toward men, her awakened hormones building an appreciation into her vibrant young senses for the deep sound of a masculine voice, the virile odor, the size and power of males. Victoria instinctively knew that if she let herself go she would find herself helplessly wanting to be made love to, and she was frightened of that.