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Deirdre. “What does that mean? You appreciate my offer? Omar, it’s me, Deirdre. You don’t appreciate my offer. Don’t ever say that to me again.”
    â€œAll right,” said Omar. “I won’t.”
    â€œOmar, don’t get all weird and distant. I said I was sorry. I want to help. I think you need my help. I think it would be good for us if we do this together. It could be very good for us. It could be fun, and exciting. To go to Uruguay, and solve this problem, and be together and in some place that isn’t Kansas. I don’t think you should risk going by yourself.”
    â€œYou don’t think I can do this by myself?”
    â€œOf course I do! I have complete confidence in you. Of course you can! I just think it would be better, safer, and more fun if we go together. Better for both of us. Individually and as a couple.”
    â€œThat’s funny,” said Omar. “I think it would be better for both of us, individually and as a couple, if I go by myself. I really do.”
    â€œYou sound uncharacteristically certain about this. What’s happened since I left you? Since you left me?”
    â€œI almost drowned in quicksand,” said Omar. “I saw my life
pass before my eyes and I did not like what I saw. I have resolved to change my life.”
    â€œWhat were you doing in quicksand?”
    â€œLooking for Mitzie.”
    â€œMitzie was in quicksand?”
    â€œNo. I was. Mitzie was home waiting for me. Mitzie is much smarter than me.”
    â€œThan I. But no, Omar! You’re much smarter than Mitzie.”
    â€œThank you,” said Omar.
    â€œListen. It’s been quite an evening. What with the Crimea and Constance Garnett and quicksand and all. Let’s go to bed. Well, let’s you go to bed, I still have to read my 101 essays, but you go to bed and we’ll talk about this tomorrow. Let’s not resolve all this tonight. Let’s talk again in the morning. Okay?”
    â€œAll right,” said Omar. “I am tired. Exhausted, in fact.”
    â€œIt amazes me that you can sleep at a time like this,” said Deirdre. “If I were in your position, I’d be up all night. Of course, I’ll be up all night anyway.”
    â€œWell,” said Omar. “Good night.”
    â€œOmar? I am sorry about before. I do want to help you. In whatever way I can. Okay?”
    â€œYes,” said Omar. “Thank you.”
    â€œI can feel you withdrawing.”
    â€œI’m not withdrawing. I’m just tired. I want to go to bed.”
    â€œAll right,” said Deirdre. “Do you know I love you? I love you, you know.”
    â€œI know,” said Omar. “I love you too.”
    â€œI wish you had stayed over,” said Deirdre.
    â€œTomorrow night,” said Omar.
    â€œOkay. Sleep well. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”
    He said good night and hung up. Deirdre looked out the window. The movie theater across the street was closing. A guy on a ladder was changing the title on the marquee from one stupid
movie to another. For a moment, when the two titles were combined, it looked like gobbledygook. Gobbledygook. Once Deirdre wrote “Gobbledygook!” in the margin of a particularly illiterate student’s essay. The student complained and Nicholson Garfield, the department chairman, told Deirdre to limit her comments to remarks that were within academic parameters. Deirdre showed him the definition of gobbledygook in the dictionary. He told her not to be clever at his or the students’ expense.
    Deirdre lay back on the bed. She could tell when the movie theater lights went out because they stopped reflecting on the ceiling of her bedroom. It was rather dark then. After a moment, she got up and turned on the light. She sat down at her desk and began to read her students’ essays on the role of fate in Tess of the d’Urbervilles .

CHAPTER FIVE

    Omar had always