Chapter 26: A run for my money.

The Green Lantern was more of a diner than an actual coffeehouse, though their coffee was pretty good. The owner was--and is--a big comic book fan, though one might have guessed that already from the name of the place. We were introduced during some society function or other, since we were both Berkeley alumni; he was the chief PR guy for the FBI's Boston office, of all things.

I was comfortably ensconced in a table by the window by the time four o'clock rolled around. A minute later, I saw Claire pull into a just-vacated spot across the street and walk over to the diner. When she came in the door, she paused for a second before spotting me and heading over to my table.

I suppose that I should describe this 'model of conventional beauty' in a bit more detail before going on. Claire had shoulder-length wavy hair the color of black coffee, with a light halo of hair framing her face. With the Boston College t-shirt and hip-hugging jeans she was wearing, I would have thought her a college student had I not known better. As she approached, I thought I could see green flecks in her brown eyes that I missed Thursday night.

"For a moment there, I wasn't sure you were here yet," she said as she slid into the seat across from me. "Been here long?"

"Just a few minutes. Any trouble parking?"

"Not too bad; I only had to circle the block a time or two."

"How was the faculty meeting?"

"Rather boring, actually. All I did was stay quiet and stay out of the line of fire."

"Didn't want to throw your weight around?"

"As if I had any. I'll leave that to the senior, tenured faculty, thank you very much."

"You're lucky. I'd love to be able to stay quiet during our staff meetings. Hasn't happened yet."

"So, tell me: how did a 23-year-old without a doctorate become the chief scientific consultant for one of Boston's most prestigious law firms?"

"I thought Penny had given you the low-down already."

"Well, the interview stories, sure. I got chapter and verse on how you landed the job. But I haven't a clue why you came here, or why you passed up staying at Hopkins and finishing your degree."

"At the time, I was looking around, and realized that the academia route was one I would probably run into problems with. The offer came at a perfect time. Still, if I hadn't run into Jerry in Houston and set all of this in motion, I'd probably still be slugging it out at Hopkins. Spend a few years after getting my doctorate building up my CV, then look for a faculty position--though I'd guess you know how that goes as well as I do."

"You make me sound like some old established prof."

"You're on the fast track to being one, aren't you? BC offered you a tenure-track position as soon as you finished up at Harvard. I don't think it's a stretch to say that you're regarded as one of the rising stars in your field." I took a sip of coffee before continuing. "Literary criticism is a tough field."

"You've been checking up on me, I see."

"A little, though nothing in-depth. I figured that I should at least have some idea of what you do for a living. But that's enough work talk for today. What do you do when you're not working?"

"You mean, when I'm not teaching, preparing lectures, doing research, writing, or something else work-related?" She looked upward in an exaggerated pose of deep contemplation. "Well, I do hit the club circuit once in a while, in between evenings trying to write the next great American novel," she said dryly.

"And how's that going for you?"

"Slowly. Ve-ery slowly."

I tsked in mock disapproval. "How very disappointingly yuppish of you. I was expecting a more cultured lifestyle befitting a literary soul such as yourself. You know, poetry readings, plays, nights out at the symphony, gallery showings, and the like."

"Nope; completely non-stereotypical, that's me," she replied deadpan, then started giggling madly. "Oh, you are bad. So, how about you, Mr. Thousand-and-one Questions?"

"How about me what?"

"What do you do pour s'amuser?"

"It's not very interesting," I warned.

"Try me."

"I go out mostly to catch movies, plays, and the occasional concert. Depends on whom I'm with. Never could hold my liquor, so I'm not fond of the bar scene."

"You don't mind dancing, do you?"

"I guess I can keep up, though I prefer to get my aerobic exercise outdoors."

"I know what you mean. Since I usually have to work inside, I like to play outside. Usually, I go blading alongside the Charles River paths two or three times a week."

"Hmmm... that has possibilities. How good are you at tossing a frisbee?"

"I used to play ultimate frisbee in college. Why?"

"There's a pickup game out by Ohmstead Park that starts around now."

"Aren't you, um, a bit overdressed for a day in the park?"

If you're wondering, I rarely wear a suit to work (unless I'm meeting a client), but I can't exactly get away with t-shirt and jeans either. Polo shirt and khakis or (if I need to dress up a little) dress shirt and slacks--that's normal attire. Another thing I miss about grad school.