All in the Family Chapter 1
Alexis picked up her backpack as the lecture ended and moved to leave with other students. As she walked by the front desk, she heard her teacher say "Nice job on that paper, Alexis." The professor's voice carried a slight southern inflection. "I know you saw your grade online, but I wanted to tell you directly. Medieval iconography can be difficult. You handled it well."
Alexis smiled at the complement. She began Art History thinking that Dr. Jillian Dunne, an awkward fifty-something woman with uncontrolled gray hair, would be an easy teacher. Instead, Professor Dunne turned out to be a demanding instructor who expected students to work hard. "Thank you. " Alexis said. "I enjoyed researching it."
Dr. Dunne shut her laptop and struggled to get it into its case. Without looking up, she asked Alexis "Do you have a major yet? If not, you might consider cultural anthropology. I think it would suit you."
"Thanks, Professor Dunne. But I'm majoring in biology – genetics." Alexis watched the professor wrestle the computer into a large quilted bag bursting with books and crinkled papers.
"Too bad for anthropology then." Dr. Dunne hefted the bag onto her shoulder and headed to the exit.
Alexis scanned the lecture hall and saw they were alone now. "Professor Dunne, wait please." she blurted out.
The professor twisted back, leaning with the heavy bag on her shoulder. "Yes?"
Alexis spoke rapidly. "Well, I'm doing this bio project on genetic diversity in New York. I'm looking to see how closely people are related. It's all about the statistics, sort of cultural anthropology and, anyway, I was wondering if you'd like to participate?"
"Participate? You're asking about my family tree?" The doubtful intonation in Dr. Dunne's voice reminded Alexis of her father.
"No. I'm asking for your DNA. I take a sample of it and compare it to other samples and see how closely related to them you are." Alexis was beginning to ramble and she knew it.
Professor Dunne let the bag slide off her shoulder and thud on the floor. "You want my DNA?" she questioned.
Alexis shrunk into herself. Professor Dunne could be daunting, but for some reason Alexis wanted and needed to befriend her. Alexis gathered her confidence. "Only if you want to. I thought, you know, since you are new to New York, it might be a good comparison."
"How did you know I was new here?"
Alexis thought the question oddly suspicious since most college professors automatically assumed students researched them, which Alexis guessed was probably true, but thought that made the professors narcissistic. She recited what she knew: "I read your bio on the faculty pages. You just moved from Virginia to be a visiting professor in Art History. You studied at the University of Virginia and Trinity College Dublin. You're an accomplished fiber artist, and you've traveled all over the world. You wrote three books art and anthropology. And you collect spy novels."
Dr. Dunne's attitude softened as she replied. "Yes. I do. I have all your father's books you know."
"Oh, thank you," said Alexis for no reason.
Dr. Dunne kept on "But my first, and favorite, spy novel is Casino Royale by Ian Fleming. Do you know it?"
Alexis was too stunned to answer. Her father always said that Casino Royale was the book that made him want to be a writer. Alexis wondered about coincidences and decided she should probably read it.
The professor returned to Alexis's request. "I have two thought about your project. First, what happens to my DNA sample after you use it? And, shouldn't these be random samples?"
"Well, they are random." Alexis rambled again. "I mean that's part of my research project, the whole seven degrees thing. I am looking at random people I come in contact with. I promise I will destroy all the samples, and your DNA will not be identifiable. Only I know who is who and that disappears once I enter everything into the stats program."
"I see." Dr. Dunne stood silently. Again Alexis noticed a similarity to her father. She made the same face as hedid when contemplating deeply. Finally, the professor nodded her head as if she made an agreement with herself. "Okay. I'll give you a sample. What do I do?"
Alexis reached into her backpack and removed one of the testing kits she carried for her project. "Just take the swabs from the tube, rub them on the inside of your cheek and put them back in the tube. It's easy. "
Dr. Dunne took kit, did as instructed, and handed the vial back to Alexis. "That's it?" she asked.
"That's it. And, thank you. I'll send you a copy of my project when it's done, if you'd like."
"I would, very much." Dr. Dunne replied and then dismissed Alexis with a sharp look. She waited until Alexis left the lecture hall before reaching deep into her bag and pulling out a cell phone. She pressed one number and then send. "Something's just come up," she said.