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Authors: Leigh Perry
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that his career had nose-dived,” the brunette said with a smirk. “He’s teaching high school. Can you imagine? Reading ‘How I Spent My Summer Vacation’ and ‘My Favorite Character in
Romeo and Juliet
’ essays?” She actually tittered.
I shouldn’t have, but I’ve met a lot of Madison’s teachers over the years, and I had a lot of respect for the vast majority of them. So I said, “I know, right? I mean, why would anybody give up the halls of academe to take a job with sick days and health insurance? Where you get your own permanent classroom instead of a shared office? And you know his brain will just rot without having to write all those research grant proposals and rushing articles out the door so he can make quota. Who wants all summer off anyway?”
The brunette blinked, and I saw a couple of the others hide grins.
After that, the conversation wandered a bit, mostly stories about how annoying college administrators could be, which was always a good topic for adjuncts. The room started to clear out, and finally Charles said, “I think it is time for us to take our leave. If you don’t mind, Georgia, I’d like to have another word with Patty’s sister.”
The woman was standing by herself with a cup of coffee in one hand, looking more awkward than mournful.
“We must be going,” Charles said. “Please do let me know if there’s any assistance I can offer in your time of need.”
“Thank you, Charles,” she said, “but I couldn’t ask you for anything else.”
“Then there is something else?”
She looked embarrassed. “I was going to go to Patty’s place today to pack up her things, but I won’t be able to take much back with me on the plane, and I’m not sure what to do with the rest. I’d like to ship things to my house, but my flight leaves tomorrow before the post office opens.”
“I would be honored to help with both packing and any necessary shipping.”
She made a token attempt to refuse, but I could see how relieved she was—apparently there was nobody else she could ask. They made arrangements to meet at the dead woman’s apartment that afternoon.
She did make one last protest, saying, “Are you sure you don’t mind? You’ve done so much already! I mean, helping with the funeral and all. I couldn’t have afforded to do things nice like this.”
“Think nothing of it. We took up a collection at the university to raise funds, so it’s really all of Patty’s friends and colleagues who have helped.”
“Really?” she said. “That’s so nice. I know adjuncts don’t make much money and—”
The funeral director approached discreetly, and we said our good-byes and let them finish their business.
“Jeez, Charles,” I said, “you didn’t tell me you were passing the hat. Is it too late for me to add to the pool?”
“It’s all covered,” he said.
“What about the flowers and—”
“All covered.”
I looked at him. “Charles, did you pay for this out of your own pocket?”
He held the door open for me. “It’s turning out to be a lovely day, don’t you think?”
That was all the answer I needed, and I resolved to have him over for dinner as often as I could manage for the foreseeable future. It wouldn’t make up for paying for a funeral, but I figured it was as much repayment as he’d accept. I did offer to help him over at his friend’s apartment, but was just as glad when he turned me down. Rifling through a dead stranger’s belongings didn’t sound like a good way to spend the day.
Instead I treated myself when I got back home and out of my good clothes. The house was empty except for me and Byron, so after I’d graded a couple of essays that had actually been turned in ahead of the next day’s due date, he and I curled up together on the couch and took a nice, long nap. It was terribly self-indulgent, but I would have been happy to nap longer if Madison and Sid hadn’t come bursting in.
Something had broken at last!
12
“M
Romeo and Juliet
’ essays?” She actually tittered.
I shouldn’t have, but I’ve met a lot of Madison’s teachers over the years, and I had a lot of respect for the vast majority of them. So I said, “I know, right? I mean, why would anybody give up the halls of academe to take a job with sick days and health insurance? Where you get your own permanent classroom instead of a shared office? And you know his brain will just rot without having to write all those research grant proposals and rushing articles out the door so he can make quota. Who wants all summer off anyway?”
The brunette blinked, and I saw a couple of the others hide grins.
After that, the conversation wandered a bit, mostly stories about how annoying college administrators could be, which was always a good topic for adjuncts. The room started to clear out, and finally Charles said, “I think it is time for us to take our leave. If you don’t mind, Georgia, I’d like to have another word with Patty’s sister.”
The woman was standing by herself with a cup of coffee in one hand, looking more awkward than mournful.
“We must be going,” Charles said. “Please do let me know if there’s any assistance I can offer in your time of need.”
“Thank you, Charles,” she said, “but I couldn’t ask you for anything else.”
“Then there is something else?”
She looked embarrassed. “I was going to go to Patty’s place today to pack up her things, but I won’t be able to take much back with me on the plane, and I’m not sure what to do with the rest. I’d like to ship things to my house, but my flight leaves tomorrow before the post office opens.”
“I would be honored to help with both packing and any necessary shipping.”
She made a token attempt to refuse, but I could see how relieved she was—apparently there was nobody else she could ask. They made arrangements to meet at the dead woman’s apartment that afternoon.
She did make one last protest, saying, “Are you sure you don’t mind? You’ve done so much already! I mean, helping with the funeral and all. I couldn’t have afforded to do things nice like this.”
“Think nothing of it. We took up a collection at the university to raise funds, so it’s really all of Patty’s friends and colleagues who have helped.”
“Really?” she said. “That’s so nice. I know adjuncts don’t make much money and—”
The funeral director approached discreetly, and we said our good-byes and let them finish their business.
“Jeez, Charles,” I said, “you didn’t tell me you were passing the hat. Is it too late for me to add to the pool?”
“It’s all covered,” he said.
“What about the flowers and—”
“All covered.”
I looked at him. “Charles, did you pay for this out of your own pocket?”
He held the door open for me. “It’s turning out to be a lovely day, don’t you think?”
That was all the answer I needed, and I resolved to have him over for dinner as often as I could manage for the foreseeable future. It wouldn’t make up for paying for a funeral, but I figured it was as much repayment as he’d accept. I did offer to help him over at his friend’s apartment, but was just as glad when he turned me down. Rifling through a dead stranger’s belongings didn’t sound like a good way to spend the day.
Instead I treated myself when I got back home and out of my good clothes. The house was empty except for me and Byron, so after I’d graded a couple of essays that had actually been turned in ahead of the next day’s due date, he and I curled up together on the couch and took a nice, long nap. It was terribly self-indulgent, but I would have been happy to nap longer if Madison and Sid hadn’t come bursting in.
Something had broken at last!
12
“M
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