I’d barely taken my coat off after entering the same damn seafood restaurant I’d run into Kane and his married girlfriend at weeks before, and here was Dr. Melbourne, head of the liberal arts department at Penn State Hazleton, grilling me on the bane of my very existence.
I laughed nervously for a moment as I handed my coat to the hostess. “It’s … uh … going.” I smiled.
He chuckled. “Come on, Helene. I think they’ve got the entire back half of the restaurant cordoned off for this dinner.”
As we walked, Dr. Melbourne leaned toward me. “Have you thought any more about Penn State’s post-doctoral fellowship program, Helene? I know you weren’t sure you intended to stay in Hazleton permanently after the completion of your doctorate, but Penn State allows you to work through the program even from our smaller satellite campuses… And I have to say, I absolutely love the idea of a local coming home after such an accomplishment. I just hope you’ll consider Penn State a more permanent home—”
“I have … actually.” I glanced at Dr. Melbourne. “And … I’m interested. I’m very interested. Things have…” I bobbled my head from side to side for a moment. “…changed for me, and I want to consider planting more permanent roots here.”
Dr. Melbourne’s smile broadened. “That’s wonderful news, Helene. The post-doc program is three years, and I could see you becoming tenured quickly at Penn State, what with your long history and good standing in the community.”
I nodded. “Well if it’s all the same to you, I’ll focus my energies on my dissertation for the time being, but … I really do want to talk about this further when the time is right.”
“I look forward to it.” He held his hand out as we reached the large back section of the restaurant where rows of tables were set up.
I ended up sitting with Dr. Melbourne, largely because I knew very few people there. I was, after all, only an assistant professor and on a very limited schedule at that. The dinner was delicious, the conversation was stuffy, and the man sitting across from me and a few seats down seemed intent on making eye contact with me every chance he got.
He was handsome. He was also clearly intelligent, given the way he thoroughly seemed to enjoy debating politics with a professor of political science. Come to find out he was in the mathematics department.
“Professor Dale came from the University of Pennsylvania too, Helene,” Dr. Melbourne announced loud enough for the good Professor Dale to hear. “Youngest tenured professor at Penn State, and I have to say we love stealing talent from the University of Pennsylvania.”
The table, including me, laughed at that one.
“How young were you again when you graduated high school, Preston?” Dr. Melbourne asked him.
Professor Dale glanced at me, smiling politely. “Uh… sixteen.” He cringed. “Trust me, the achievement made me the world’s biggest nerd,” he said as he winked at me.
“Helene’s on task to finish her dissertation this spring from the University of Pennsylvania.” Apparently Dr. Melbourne was just in the announcing sort of mood.
“Is that so?” Professor Dale asked.
“God willing.” I tried to smile, but I glanced away quickly.
“Philosophy is it?”
I glanced back up to Professor Dale as I took a drink of my water. “Yes.”
“Well, I hope to see you around on a more permanent basis.” He lifted his wine glass and nodded his head.
“Well, yes, I certainly hope to see that, too,” Dr. Melbourne concurred.
I just nodded stupidly, wondering how the hell I was going to pull a dissertation out of my ass that would actually garner myself the doctorate these men apparently seemed to think was in the bag. Nothing much felt in the bag to me at the moment.
I excused myself as soon after the meal as was politely possible, and I nodded my goodnights and lifted my hand as I said goodbye. Dr. Melbourne stood and gave me a hug. He was a kind, older man, and the idea of working for him one day wasn’t at all an unpleasant thought.
As I stood at the front greeting station waiting for the hostess to return with my coat, Preston Dale approached me. I smiled at him as he leaned against the tall table.
“I wonder if you’d like to go out for dinner sometime.” He cocked his head to the side in a very assured and casual manner.
I glanced at him. “Oh… I’m flattered. Thank you, but I’m actually seeing someone.”
He nodded slowly, shrugging his shoulders good naturedly. “Well if that changes in the future, I hope you’ll let me know.” He smiled. “You know where to find me.” He was silent for a moment. “It really was very good to meet you, Helene.” He held his hand out, and I shook it just as the woman returned with my coat.