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KEVIN, DANNY AND MAGGIE decided she would continue to work at the university to deflect suspicion later on when she “discovered” the formula. Also, it might look odd for all three of them to be off work all at the same time.
Maggie had just entered her classroom and heard a song on a student’s iPod for what seemed like the millionth time. It was a good thing she liked the Chili Peppers and really liked that song, otherwise she would have made an example of the student long ago and displayed his beaten carcass to the others as a warning.
“OK, OK, music time is over. Let’s get to work, everyone” As she was saying this, Maggie spotted the head of her department skulking around her classroom’s doorway. “Uh oh, that Jacquess mishap has come back to haunt me. That didn’t take long. Oh well better play nice,” she thought.
“Dr. Raymond, what do you want? If you want to audit this class, you’ll have to see admissions first.” Idiot, what happened to play nice? Just listen to what he has to say, nod and keep your mouth shut unless you want to end up as Trainwreck’s assistant.
As with most of the professors on staff at the university, Dennis Raymond was in both awe and fear of Maggie. Today Dennis was more in anxiety mode and danced around the doorway in preparation for a quick getaway if things went sour.
“Could I have a word, Professor Penny? I won’t take more than a minute of your time.” He then promptly shot into the hallway, banging the door closed behind him.
“All right, ladies and gentlemen, while I speak with Dr. Raymond you can all pretend to start work on your projects while you are in fact draining the batteries on your smartphones.” With that snarky remark, Maggie left the room and nearly trampled Dr. Raymond, who was rehearsing his speech in front of the door.
“Dr. Raymond, what is so urgent that you had to interrupt my class?” Damn it, what is wrong with you? Be nice.
“Well, Maggie, may I call you Maggie? We’ve known each other for years. We should be on a first name basis by now.”
“Of course you may, Dennis.” Now was that so fucking hard? Oh God, he’s staring at me, did I just say that last part out loud?
Dennis gathered his thoughts and with deliberation said, “Yes, well, in the past we’ve had our differences, and as with all great minds, occasionally one may stray outside the norms of society and bend the rules a tad. You are one of our most brilliant if not the most brilliant professor I’ve had the pleasure to work with.” Raymond, who was walking in an ever increasingly smaller circle, aimed his remarks at the floor.
Maggie’s patience, which usually lasted only several milliseconds, wore out “Dennis, stop before you wear a hole in the floor. This is going to be a huge favor, I can tell by the enormous load of sh__pooh you are heaping around me. Now out with it, man.”
“Maggie, Associate Professor Tranwrach has asked to take a leave of absence for an indefinite period of time. I am asking some of the staff to fill in for him until we can get a substitute for the remainder of the year,” Raymond blurted out to a point beyond Maggie’s left ear.
“If you want suggestions on a replacement, there’s that lovely Ficus plant in the student union. I think it would thrive as long as one of Tranwrach’s students remembers to water it regularly. You would see a huge improvement in student test scores and a downturn in accidents, especially in the flammable department.”
“Now Maggie, be serious, a plant take can’t take a professor’s place, not even an associate professor’s position.” Dennis paused for a moment and then said thoughtfully, “No matter how tempting that would be. Besides that classroom gets minimal sunlight.”