Excerpt from The Republican Professor: A Novel

By Lucas Mather

Hey, professor !, she said at the doorway.

He turned around in his chair and lowered his glasses to his nose. Hey ! Come in, he said, waving her to the front of the small line waiting in the outside hallway.

How are youuu ?, she said.

Fine, how about you ?

Fine.

Cool. [After a brief moment], what brings you in here today ?

Oh, I just stopped by. I was on this side of campus, so.

Ah, what are you taking today — oops, sorry long day — this semester !

No you’re fine.

I’m fine ? Thank you. [She laughed]. What are you taking this semester ? the professor asked.

[After listing out the things she was taking, she paused, smiling].

I see, she said looking back to the door and the few students lined up to see him in the hallway outside, that you still give the grades out in office hours .

The professor smiled and said, well there’s nothing to grade, so far. I think those are students wanting to add the class. We have a full class and I’m waiting on the Dean to say whether we can fit any more in the room legally.

Oh, cool, she said. Our class was kinda small.

Yeah, I guess, he said. Yes, the class sizes vary. I can’t figure it out. I don’t think the bean counters can figure it out, either, the professor said.

She said, I just wanted to say that I thought about your class all summer and talked about it with my friends.

I’m sorry to hear that, the professor said.

Yeah, I have this one friend since first grade and she took a philosophy class last year, too , but it didn’t sound like hers was as good. She goes to an Ivy League school, too .

Dang .

Yeah, I actually wanted to know what you thought about me changing my major, or at least adding a minor, she said.

The professor said, remind me of your major.

Women’s studies, she said.

Well, let me give you one of these, the professor said, turning to his drawers. [He pulled out a pamphlet for the minor and gave it to her.]

She took it, smiling, and lingered.

Thank you for everything, professor, she said looking deeply into his eyes. [She stopped smiling]. You’re the first professor that made me really think hard about things.

[There was a moment of silence].

Well, I’m sorry to hear that, the professor said.

She laughed, no I’m serious, she said. [And she stopped smiling again].

I know you’re serious, the professor almost whispered. That’s why I said I’m sorry to hear that. Every class should be that way.

You’re different, she said.

After a short but silent and warm moment, she smiled again, looking down at the pamphlet. Thanks, she said, and she walked out reading the pamphlet. She paused at the door, looking back. This information is on the website, she said.

I wanted to give you something you could hold in your hand, to use as a book marker, to remember the time you changed your major, he said.

She smiled big and waved, her face blanching slightly, and she walked away.

The professor said, Next !, and another student materialized in front of the open door.

Have a seat, the professor said. And the student sat down.

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This has been an excerpt from The Republican Professor: A Novel, by Lucas Mather