Chapter 8

"I've got the program completed and most of the data collected. We'll start the simulation at the end of the semester," said William pointing to his project chart. It showed each of the major milestones in his research project.

Ignoring the chart, Professor Johnston was busy looking over the new computer on his desk. He couldn't believe how much William had accomplished over the past few weeks. He was still looking over the data and knew it would be days before he would finish exploring it all. William had managed to collect, in a short period of time, economic data about households that he hadn't known existed. Eyes fixed on the computer screen, he said, "You've made a lot of progress. I'm impressed."

The cell phone in William's pocket rang interrupting their conversation. After looking over at his professor, William pulled the cell phone out. Glancing at the face of it, he saw that the caller was his father Leroy. Concerned that he had not anticipated the call, he answered it, "What's up, Daddy Leroy?"

"One of my meetings got canceled, so I'm going to be in your area of the country later this week with nothing to do. I thought I would stop by Thursday and then leave Saturday. Are you up for a little company?" Leroy explained.

Wanting to let Professor Johnston know that he'd only be a minute, William went to make a gesture to the man. He found that Professor Johnston was busy looking over data in the computer like a child with a new toy and was totally oblivious to what William was doing. Turning his attention back to his father, William said, "You're always welcome. Can I ask a favor of you?"

"What?"

"Would you mind giving a talk here on Friday? I'm sure the biology department would love to have a Nobel Prize Winner give a Friday afternoon lecture."

"I've got my standard College seminar lecture in my briefcase. Set it up," answered Leroy.

"Great. I enjoy showing off my parents," William said with a chuckle. It pleased him when his parents got the credit they deserved for their hard work, particularly Leroy. The quiet black man was often overlooked because of his more famous husbands.

"My plane is ready. I'll see you Thursday."

"Right, Thursday."

Professor Johnston had turned around in time to hear the farewells. Not having paid attention, he had no clue concerning the identity of the person with whom William had been talking. Seeing the smile on the face of his young student, he asked, "You have a date?"

"That was one of my fathers. He's coming to visit next Thursday," William answered while wishing that he had a date.

"Is he here on business?" Professor Johnston asked. He wasn't normally that curious about his student's private lives, but he didn't have many fifteen-year-old students. In a funny way, he felt like he had to watch over the boy.

"It's mostly to visit with me, but he's agreed to give a lecture here on Friday," said William.

"When and where?" he asked thinking it would be a chance to meet a member of William's family. Even though there was a lot of information about his parents in the press, Professor Johnston knew that it wasn't the kind of information that would give insights into the family. He was curious what kind of parents could produce someone like William.

"I don't know yet. I have to arrange it," said William.

"Well, go do that. I'm going to look over this data," Professor Johnston said. Turning to look at the screen, he wondered where William had managed to get home purchase data going back fifty years.

"County tax records," said William as he left the office.

William stepped out of the Morgenstern Building and looked up at the spring sky. It was the first warm day of spring. The women on campus had shed their coats and donned short skirts. The young men on campus were busy watching the young women. It was a spring day on campus and love, well at least lust, was in the air.

The bench outside the Morgenstern Building was unoccupied and William went over to it to make a call. Fishing out his cell phone, he called Mary Gold to see if she could help him arrange a meeting with the chair of the biology department. She called back after ten minutes with the news that he had an appointment in twenty minutes.

William took his time walking over to the biology department. He noticed Doug was walking with a young woman and talking animatedly. He hoped his friend was able to get a date, but feared that it was highly unlikely. The women who interested Doug seldom gave him the time of day. Doug wasn't interested in the women who were interested him. Doug, in a paraphrase of Groucho Marx, often joked that he wouldn't want a woman that wanted a man like him.

Thinking about his friend, William made his way across campus towards the science building. It was a large two-story building covered with ivy. He entered the building, taking in the architecture and thinking of his sister, Beth. He knew that she'd probably find the architectural style very boring. He made his way towards the biology department on the second floor. The halls were wide with pairs of doors spaced far apart. Each laboratory had two doors, one on each end of the room.

It took him some time to find the office. Entering, he went to the secretary's desk and said, "I'm here to see the department chair."

Looking up at the young man, the secretary figured that she would put him off in a gentle manner. She answered, "Do you have an appointment?"

"Yes, I do," he answered.

"Your name?"

"William Redman Carter."

The secretary didn't need to look at her appointment book to know he was expected. Less than thirty minutes earlier, the Provost had called to make the appointment for him. Surprised that it was such a young man, she said, "Dr. Dorman will see you now."

Entering the office, William looked at the frumpy looking woman seated behind the desk. She was in her late fifties and didn't bother to hide it. Her gray hair was pulled up in a bun with strands of hair sticking out in disarray. She looked over at him with a frown and asked, "Who are you?"

"I'm William Redman Carter." He knew that wasn't her real question. She wanted to know what made him think he could get an appointment with her on demand.

"Why would the Provost demand that I meet you?"

"I have arranged a guest speaker for Friday afternoon," answered William although that wasn't the real reason. Mary Gold had made a few calls to arrange this meeting and he guessed she had just cut through the bureaucracy by going directly to the top. Very few people rejected calls from a representative of the Carter Clan, particularly people who were in charge of fundraising.

"What has that got to do with me?"

"Your department is hosting him."

Dr. Dorman sat back in her chair and stared at William. The look she gave him had withered many a graduate student who had wasted her time. She seriously doubted that a teenager could arrange a speaker who would be of much interest. Much to her surprise, he smiled at her with amusement in his eyes. Curious at the fact that she couldn't intimidate him, she asked, "Who is this guest speaker?"

"Dr. Leroy Jones, Jr."

She didn't have to ask who he was, but couldn't believe that she had heard the young man correctly. Sitting forward, she asked, "Dr. Leroy Jones, Jr.?"

"Yes."

"The man who did the groundbreaking research on Chronic Wasting Disease?"

"Yes."

"You are talking about the Nobel Laureate Leroy Jones, Junior?"

"Yes," answered William nodding his head.

"May I ask how you managed to arrange for such an important person to give a lecture here?"

"Sure. He's one of my fathers and is stopping by to pay a visit. I asked him if he'd be willing to give a Friday afternoon lecture and he said yes," answered William.

She didn't need to hear any more than that. Smiling at William, the department chair asked, "What time should I schedule the lecture?"

"How about after lunch?"

"Excellent. I'll schedule lunch in the faculty dining room and we can go from there to the lecture hall. Would a noon lunch be okay with you and your father?"

"That would be fine," answered William.

"Thank you. I'll make the arrangements." Dr. Dorman knew that news of the seminar would spread like wildfire across the campus. Dr. Leroy Jones, Jr had given the world a new infectious mechanism, joining bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Not only had he done that, he'd found how diseases produced by it could be cured. He had done it as a biologist and not as a veterinarian or medical researcher.

While making his way from the building where the biology department was located, William froze with his heart hammering in his chest. Seated on one of the benches was a young woman. She looked to be fourteen going on fifteen years of age. Her hands covered her face as she cried. Her shoulders moved up and down. Her silky brown hair came down to the middle of her back. His spirit leapt on seeing her.

Hands trembling from nervousness and excitement, he made his way over to the bench. Looking down on her, his vision met reality. Yesterday's tomorrow had become today. Now that he was faced with her, he didn't know what to say despite the fact that he had sought opening lines for years. Unsure for the first time in longer than he could remember, he asked, "Would you like to talk about it?"

"You wouldn't understand," the young woman said between sobs. She didn't bother to look up at the individual who had asked the question.

Taking a seat next to her, his heart pounding in his chest, he said, "I bet I would understand."

"I'm fifteen years old and in college. Nobody takes me seriously. Everyone makes fun of me. I hate it here." Her complaints were ejected like bullets between sobs. The other students called her 'kid.' Some of them even rubbed her on the head like she was some kind of pet dog. It angered her that she made better grades than other students, but they wouldn't allow her to participate in their study groups.

"I'm fifteen years old and in college," William said softly. He had problems with others taking him seriously, but no one made fun of him. When he needed to be taken seriously, he would wear his robe from the Druid College. That made people sit up and notice him.

The young woman pulled her hands away from her face and turned towards him. It was her intention to call him a liar since she was sure that she knew better. Instead, she was shocked to see someone her own age looking at her. Disbelieving her eyes, she asked, "You're a student here?"

"Yes, I am," answered William staring at the face he had dreamed of seeing for years. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, despite the fact that her eyes were red from crying and her nose was running.

"Prove it."

"Trusting soul, aren't we?" asked William with a grin. He fished around in his pocket and pulled out his wallet. It took him a minute to locate his student ID. Removing his ID from the wallet, he held it up for her to see.

"Why haven't I see you before?" she asked. Her red rimmed eyes opening wide at seeing the student ID.