I would like to discuss your paper. I think what we have here is a diamond in the rough.
Dennis felt his heart increase.
Really?
Yes. Could you come over say this evening and we can discuss your paper?
Randy hung up the phone and felt a flush of warmth. Dr. Silvers wanted to discuss his paper. His writing. He really felt like he might have broken through to something other than just being another graduate student in the MFA program. He drove over to the Dr. Silvers home on the north side of campus and ran into his wife leaving.
I'm sorry...is Dr. Silvers home?
The mousy looking woman with coke bottle glasses stared at him. She seemed to pause then breathed out tiredly.
In the basement she said walking quickly down the walk.
Dr.Silvers came to the door then.
Oh hello Randy...trust you found the place.
Yes Dr. Silvers. No problem.
Well he said stroking his reddish beard. Why don't we go down to my office in the basement.
Randy followed Dr. Silvers down the stairs to a leather paneled room.
Brandy?
Uh sure....why not.
Dr. Silvers handed him a goblet and sat down on the couch next to Randy. The brandy was a strong eye watering bracer.
I wanted to discuss your paper, but I think you should know that my wife is going to be gone for a while. Randy smiled.
Oh yes.
I mean. The door is unlocked upstairs....should I lock it?
Randy shrugged.
You probably should.
Dr. Silvers stood up and squeezed his crotch, then went up the stairs. Randy looked around at the large desk and the black walls and shag carpeting. He drank some more brandy. He was doing it. He was in a professors home to discuss his paper. He was moving out of the realm of writer in training. He had real talent. Dr. Silvers returned in his stocking feet and sat down next to him. He was a small man with bony knees. He smiled through his peppered goatee.
So. I think what we have with your paper is a diamond in the rough.
Thank you.
Dr.Silvers moved closer.
I think you have real talent.
Randy drank some more.
Is that your natural hair or is that a perm?
Randy touched his hair.
It's mine.
I thought about doing that to mine Dr. Silvers said, sparkles of brandy in his mustache.
Randy smiled.
So...I locked the door and my wife wont be back for several hours.
Great.
You wanted me to lock the door, right?
Randy shrugged. Sure.
I mean...Dr. Silvers put his hand on his knee. If you are sure.
Randy felt the hand as something heavy. Something heavy old and damp. Dr. Silvers was sweating micro beads. Small stars on his forehead. Randy turned to him, feeling his heart like a wet old drum.
Maybe you should unlock the door for your wife.
Dr.Silvers eyebrows went up.
You think I should?
Yes.
Dr. Silvers stood up and squeezed his crotch again. He left and unlocked the door. Randy went to a bar and got smashed that night. He only went to Dr. Silvers Advanced Fiction workshop twice after that. He got an A for the semester. His only one.
Rocket Man...the Catcher in the Rye of the Great Recession
www.billhazelgrove.com
Dennis felt his heart increase.
Really?
Yes. Could you come over say this evening and we can discuss your paper?
Randy hung up the phone and felt a flush of warmth. Dr. Silvers wanted to discuss his paper. His writing. He really felt like he might have broken through to something other than just being another graduate student in the MFA program. He drove over to the Dr. Silvers home on the north side of campus and ran into his wife leaving.
I'm sorry...is Dr. Silvers home?
The mousy looking woman with coke bottle glasses stared at him. She seemed to pause then breathed out tiredly.
In the basement she said walking quickly down the walk.
Dr.Silvers came to the door then.
Oh hello Randy...trust you found the place.
Yes Dr. Silvers. No problem.
Well he said stroking his reddish beard. Why don't we go down to my office in the basement.
Randy followed Dr. Silvers down the stairs to a leather paneled room.
Brandy?
Uh sure....why not.
Dr. Silvers handed him a goblet and sat down on the couch next to Randy. The brandy was a strong eye watering bracer.
I wanted to discuss your paper, but I think you should know that my wife is going to be gone for a while. Randy smiled.
Oh yes.
I mean. The door is unlocked upstairs....should I lock it?
Randy shrugged.
You probably should.
Dr. Silvers stood up and squeezed his crotch, then went up the stairs. Randy looked around at the large desk and the black walls and shag carpeting. He drank some more brandy. He was doing it. He was in a professors home to discuss his paper. He was moving out of the realm of writer in training. He had real talent. Dr. Silvers returned in his stocking feet and sat down next to him. He was a small man with bony knees. He smiled through his peppered goatee.
So. I think what we have with your paper is a diamond in the rough.
Thank you.
Dr.Silvers moved closer.
I think you have real talent.
Randy drank some more.
Is that your natural hair or is that a perm?
Randy touched his hair.
It's mine.
I thought about doing that to mine Dr. Silvers said, sparkles of brandy in his mustache.
Randy smiled.
So...I locked the door and my wife wont be back for several hours.
Great.
You wanted me to lock the door, right?
Randy shrugged. Sure.
I mean...Dr. Silvers put his hand on his knee. If you are sure.
Randy felt the hand as something heavy. Something heavy old and damp. Dr. Silvers was sweating micro beads. Small stars on his forehead. Randy turned to him, feeling his heart like a wet old drum.
Maybe you should unlock the door for your wife.
Dr.Silvers eyebrows went up.
You think I should?
Yes.
Dr. Silvers stood up and squeezed his crotch again. He left and unlocked the door. Randy went to a bar and got smashed that night. He only went to Dr. Silvers Advanced Fiction workshop twice after that. He got an A for the semester. His only one.
Rocket Man...the Catcher in the Rye of the Great Recession
www.billhazelgrove.com
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