business letter

Case of the Risk-Taking Roommates

Mary, an eighteen-year-old freshman at a Florida State College in the South Florida, is faced with a difficult and potentially dangerous situation.

She and three other freshman women share a large room on the fourth floor of an all-female dorm. Shortly after the beginning of the fall semester, the other three women began to entertain men in their room. They would wait until the security guard went on break (about 10:00 P.M.) and then sneak the men up the back staircase. Mary disapproved and told her roommates she thought this was highly improper. They replied that she could either join in the fun or wait in the game room or laundry room from 10:00 P.M. until midnight on “date” nights. Mary started to protest but shut up when the others began to mock her with statements like, “Poor little Mary, so sweet–so straight–so Southern Baptist!” “Just because you don’t know how to have fun, don’t spoil it for the rest of us.” “What a naïve prude!” For three weeks, Mary spent most nights from 10:00 P.M. until midnight in the game room.

One night she fell ill and returned to her room early. After there was no reply to the customary three knocks, she entered the hazy, dim room. In addition to her roommates and their boyfriends, four or five strangers were in the room, which reeked with the smell of marijuana. She recognized one man who was rumored to be a drug dealer in the dorms. Mary thought she saw one woman give that man some money in exchange for a small envelope. General confusion set in as soon as the roommates recognized Mary; people were scrambling around gathering up their things and leaving. Mary, with a headache and fever, went to bed and promptly fell asleep. Next morning she awoke to find a note under the door addressed to her. It read: “If you tell anyone about what happened last night we promise that you won’t make it to class the next day.”

Mary is frightened and confused. She is not certain of exactly what she saw or all that it means. She has written to you as the Director of Housing at Florida State College asking for a recommendation about what she should. You need to prepare a letter stating what course of action you and your office recommend for Mary.

Mary’s address: Your Address:

Mary Singleton Your Name

19 Dorm Road Housing Director

Florida State College Florida State College

Florida City, FL 33335 Florida City, FL 33335