askrufus

Full Professor Ivan Kirk had never visited Rufus before, but there was reason to feel at ease. Everybody liked Ivan. Everybody said he was a nice guy. Untenured Assistant Professor McCoy was flattered as his senior colleague pulled the door shut to Rufus' cubbyhole office and sat in a rickety metal and plastic chair. It groaned under his bulk.

Kirk looked solemn. He scratched the top of his bald head, took a deep breath, and began without the usual Southern pleasantries. "My daughter is in your class." He shook his head, a humorless smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Lisa isn't doing very well. Struggling I'm afraid. I pushed her to follow in my footsteps. Not a good idea . . . Now my princess is mad at me."

Rufus swallowed hard and opened the grade book on his laptop.

"Don't bother. Her grades are pretty bad." Kirk folded his hands and looked down at the floor like a good Catholic at confession. "She's such a sweet girl, but she's never going to be an accountant. I only wanted-" He stopped abruptly, shaking his head.

Untenured Assistant Professor McCoy didn't know where this conversation was headed, so he waited through a long pause. He felt sorry for Full Professor Kirk. And embarrassed. Kirk wanted only the best for his child. Anybody would understand. It was peculiar, though. Rufus was half his age. He should seek Ivan's guidance, not the other way around.

When Full Professor Kirk looked up, his face was different, lacking sympathy, maybe even unfriendly.

Rufus winced.

"If she fails this class," Kirk said, "she'll get kicked off the Dixie Belles. Her Momma will really be upset if that happens."

The "Belles" were blondes, some natural but mostly otherwise, who performed in scanty, sequined swim suits at ball games-sort of bush-league Dallas Cheerleaders, except they were a little on the plump side and their efforts at sexploitation were awkward.

Rufus wondered how Ivan would get from scanty, sequined swim suits to where he hoped Ivan would end up: a plan to encourage Lisa to improve her grade. That had to be it, Rufus surmised. After all, everybody said Full Professor Kirk was a nice guy. Everybody liked him.

Full Professor Kirk rose from the wobbly seat and filled the void with a firm voice. "And on top of that, I don't want to pay for another semester of school. I shouldn't have to, should I?" He gave his patented wink, turned, opened the door, and glanced back at the Assistant Professor. Rufus must have looked as if he didn't get it. Or maybe he looked as shocked as he felt. This isn't the way it's supposed to be. Not at State University!