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Authors: Mary O'Donnell
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and all the other members of the Hook and Needle Club knew that she didn’t really need it. Stella would’ve told anyone else to back off, saying, “I am not an invalid!” Annie knew it was true because she had heard her say that very thing in similar situations. It was just another sign that Stella was not herself around Professor Howell.
“Thank you, Professor,” said Stella, her eyelids fluttering. She looked around the room and said, “I will be acting as the producer of the play, as a representative of the Cultural Center committee. Besides looking after the purse strings for the production, my job is to see that Professor Howell has all the people and things he deems are necessary for the play.” With that Stella took her seat again.
“Excellent,” said the professor. Looking down at the papers that Felix had laid out before him at the table, he unhurriedly reached into his jacket pocket at his side, took out an eyeglasses case, opened it, unfolded a pair of designer reading glasses and perched them on his nose.
“Which of you is Alice MacFarlane?” he asked. His chin was down, and he looked over the frames of his eyeglasses at them all.
Annie saw Alice hesitate a moment, and then she stood up. “That would be me, Professor Howell,” said Alice.
“Excellent.” It seemed to be Professor Howell’s favorite word. “Mrs. Brickson has recommended you as our set designer.” Looking at the page again, he said, “It says here that you have a career in the field of home decor—is that correct?”
Again, Annie could see that Alice was hesitating. “You could say that, I suppose,” said Alice, somewhat timidly.
“Well, it’s not a matter of what I say—do you or don’t you?” asked the professor.
His words caused a change in Alice’s expression, and her face took on a slightly pinker hue. Annie could see a fire had been lit inside her friend. “Yes, I do have a career in home decor, and I’m quite knowledgeable. Besides being my livelihood, I’ve taken several courses and have read extensively about interior design and the history of architecture. I admit I don’t really have any experience in the theater, but I am a quick study, and I’m sure I can do an excellent job.” Alice emphasized the word “excellent.”
The professor opened his mouth, and Annie could see that he had started to say “excellent” but paused and said instead, “Very good.” Then he asked, “Do you have any talent for drawing or any other representational skill?”
“Yes, I do,” said Alice. She had apparently decided that humble was not the way to be with Professor Howell. “I often make my own embroidery designs, and I provide sketches and photographs of groupings for my clients to help them see how the home decor products that I represent can be used to the best advantage in their homes.”
“That will be fine, Mrs. MacFarlane; I think we can work with this. You may sit down. One of the students in my department, Carl Johnson, is specializing in set design, and you will be working with him. He’ll be able to assemble our ideas into a computer image to work with. I have brought along two books I would like you to read.” He looked briefly at Felix who started shuffling through his cardboard box and came up with two large books that he brought over to the table and placed in front of Alice. Without pausing, Professor Howell continued, “Then you and Carl and I will schedule a meeting next week with this fellow—” the professor looked at his paper again, “Wally Carson, who I understand has been contracted to be in charge of building our set.” He looked around. “Is Mr. Carson here today?” he asked.
Peggy stood up, a little wide-eyed, looking as if she might run away at any moment, and said, “No, sir. I’m Peggy Carson, Wally’s wife. He’s at a job today, but starting the first of next month, he’ll be reporting to the Cultural Center to start setting up his shop on the main floor in
“Thank you, Professor,” said Stella, her eyelids fluttering. She looked around the room and said, “I will be acting as the producer of the play, as a representative of the Cultural Center committee. Besides looking after the purse strings for the production, my job is to see that Professor Howell has all the people and things he deems are necessary for the play.” With that Stella took her seat again.
“Excellent,” said the professor. Looking down at the papers that Felix had laid out before him at the table, he unhurriedly reached into his jacket pocket at his side, took out an eyeglasses case, opened it, unfolded a pair of designer reading glasses and perched them on his nose.
“Which of you is Alice MacFarlane?” he asked. His chin was down, and he looked over the frames of his eyeglasses at them all.
Annie saw Alice hesitate a moment, and then she stood up. “That would be me, Professor Howell,” said Alice.
“Excellent.” It seemed to be Professor Howell’s favorite word. “Mrs. Brickson has recommended you as our set designer.” Looking at the page again, he said, “It says here that you have a career in the field of home decor—is that correct?”
Again, Annie could see that Alice was hesitating. “You could say that, I suppose,” said Alice, somewhat timidly.
“Well, it’s not a matter of what I say—do you or don’t you?” asked the professor.
His words caused a change in Alice’s expression, and her face took on a slightly pinker hue. Annie could see a fire had been lit inside her friend. “Yes, I do have a career in home decor, and I’m quite knowledgeable. Besides being my livelihood, I’ve taken several courses and have read extensively about interior design and the history of architecture. I admit I don’t really have any experience in the theater, but I am a quick study, and I’m sure I can do an excellent job.” Alice emphasized the word “excellent.”
The professor opened his mouth, and Annie could see that he had started to say “excellent” but paused and said instead, “Very good.” Then he asked, “Do you have any talent for drawing or any other representational skill?”
“Yes, I do,” said Alice. She had apparently decided that humble was not the way to be with Professor Howell. “I often make my own embroidery designs, and I provide sketches and photographs of groupings for my clients to help them see how the home decor products that I represent can be used to the best advantage in their homes.”
“That will be fine, Mrs. MacFarlane; I think we can work with this. You may sit down. One of the students in my department, Carl Johnson, is specializing in set design, and you will be working with him. He’ll be able to assemble our ideas into a computer image to work with. I have brought along two books I would like you to read.” He looked briefly at Felix who started shuffling through his cardboard box and came up with two large books that he brought over to the table and placed in front of Alice. Without pausing, Professor Howell continued, “Then you and Carl and I will schedule a meeting next week with this fellow—” the professor looked at his paper again, “Wally Carson, who I understand has been contracted to be in charge of building our set.” He looked around. “Is Mr. Carson here today?” he asked.
Peggy stood up, a little wide-eyed, looking as if she might run away at any moment, and said, “No, sir. I’m Peggy Carson, Wally’s wife. He’s at a job today, but starting the first of next month, he’ll be reporting to the Cultural Center to start setting up his shop on the main floor in
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