The day was dry, hot and dusty. The trees outside the window hung limply in
airless heat. It was going to be a long hot summer. The end of the semester
was almost upon them and Dr. Jones could feel the students' restlessness to
get the year over, it radiated off them in viable waves. They squirmed in
their seats or stared dreamily out the window. They tapped their pencils on
their books or thrummed their fingers on the desk with maddening rhythm. He
looked at his watch less than a minute to go; he wasn't sure who was
happier to see the end of classes, him or his students. The second hand was
moving with agonizing slowness, tick...tick..tick...56...57..58...59...and
finally it was over! With a click he snapped the shut his pocket watch
tucked it back into his vest pocket. "Ok class, time is up" he called out
coming around the desk. The sigh of relief was audible in the thick air.
"Your test scores will be posted outside of my office on Monday. It's been
a wonderful year, and have a good summer" he said as the student deposited
their finals on his desk as they shuffled out the door.
A short portly figure pushed his was through the student, pausing in front of Dr. Jones, watching as Indy hurriedly gathered up his papers, eager to get out of the hot clammy class room. "What is it Brady?" he snapped.
"Oh, I just have a bit of a proposition for you Dr. Jones" he said. The way Indy's eyes lit up at the mention of 'proposition' did not go unnoticed by Dr. Brady. "Oh nothing like that Indy" he said.
"Well, what is it then"
Dr. Brady hesitated a moment, not sure how Indy would respond, "Well you see the student body government is having a little end of the year talent show to raise some funds for the summer trip."
"Talent show?" Indy asked a derisive tone in his voice.
"Oh come on Indy, it's not that bad, a lot of professors are signing up. Infact, I am planning on playing a bit of the rag time piano" Marcus said, a bit pleased with himself.
"And what does this have to do with me?" Indy asked
"Well I thought you could demonstrate your skill with the bull whip."
"No"
Marcus sighed, he knew Indy would not be interested, then he spied a familiar face in the crowd of students making their way out. He quickly reached out and caught a slender young girl by the arm and pulled her over to them, thinking he may need a bit of back up here.
"Ah, Ms. Teadsdale," He said addressing the startled student "Help me convince Dr. Jones here, to help us out with the talent show"
Sara Teadsdale was a bit on the plain Jane side thought Indy. He never saw her with out her black hair pulled back into a tight bun on the back of her head. She always wore a white oxford blouse tucked into prim little pleated skirts. If Marcus thought to tempt him with a pretty face, Indy thought, then he had certainly chosen the wrong student.
She arched a little black eye brow and asked, "Oh, does Dr. Jones have a talent other than archeology?"
Is she teasing me, Indian thought, surprised at her cheek.
"Not everyone knows this, but Dr. Jones is quite skilled with the bull whip" Marcus supplied.
"Bull whip!" she looked surprised, but her voice said other wise. Indy wasn't sure what was going on, but he was sure he didn't want a part of it. Deciding to snip this in the bud he said, "As appealing as parlor tricks may be in some circles, it is not my idea of fun"
Marcus sighs disappointedly, but a look of hurt flashes quickly behind Sara's green eyes. She masked it quickly with a look of indignation. She nodded quickly to Marcus, "well then, good day to you sirs, but I must be going now" she replied in a prim little voice and turned to leave.
Damn, Indy thought with a stab of guilt, I hadn't meant to hurt her feelings. She couldn't help it if she was so prissy, and she really was a good student. Always worked hard in his class and had one of the highest scores. With a sigh he left Marcus and took off to catch up with her in the corridor.
"Sara," he said catching up to her. She turned toward him, her face composed, but her eyes still flashing with anger. For a second Indy thought twice about apologizing. Her looks did improve a bit when she was mad. "Look," he said, "I'm sorry, that was uncalled for."
Her emerald eyes scanned his, and believing him truly sorry, she forgave him. "It's ok, Dr. Jones. I told Dr. Brady that you wouldn't seem interested but you know him, he wont take no for an answer."
"No is overrated anyway," Indiana said.
"Is that so?" Sara said, a look of hope beginning to show in her face.
"If it means that much to you and Dr. Brady, then I guess I can help out" He said.
A quirky little smile worked its way on her lips, making her eyes sparkle, "Why thank you Dr. Jones. You won't regret it. Rehearsals are at 8 o'clock tonight. I'll see you then" And with that she walked away, a bounce in her step. Indy stood there watching her retreating back, and couldn't help but notice that even though she was a bit of a priss, she certainly didn't walk like one.
A short portly figure pushed his was through the student, pausing in front of Dr. Jones, watching as Indy hurriedly gathered up his papers, eager to get out of the hot clammy class room. "What is it Brady?" he snapped.
"Oh, I just have a bit of a proposition for you Dr. Jones" he said. The way Indy's eyes lit up at the mention of 'proposition' did not go unnoticed by Dr. Brady. "Oh nothing like that Indy" he said.
"Well, what is it then"
Dr. Brady hesitated a moment, not sure how Indy would respond, "Well you see the student body government is having a little end of the year talent show to raise some funds for the summer trip."
"Talent show?" Indy asked a derisive tone in his voice.
"Oh come on Indy, it's not that bad, a lot of professors are signing up. Infact, I am planning on playing a bit of the rag time piano" Marcus said, a bit pleased with himself.
"And what does this have to do with me?" Indy asked
"Well I thought you could demonstrate your skill with the bull whip."
"No"
Marcus sighed, he knew Indy would not be interested, then he spied a familiar face in the crowd of students making their way out. He quickly reached out and caught a slender young girl by the arm and pulled her over to them, thinking he may need a bit of back up here.
"Ah, Ms. Teadsdale," He said addressing the startled student "Help me convince Dr. Jones here, to help us out with the talent show"
Sara Teadsdale was a bit on the plain Jane side thought Indy. He never saw her with out her black hair pulled back into a tight bun on the back of her head. She always wore a white oxford blouse tucked into prim little pleated skirts. If Marcus thought to tempt him with a pretty face, Indy thought, then he had certainly chosen the wrong student.
She arched a little black eye brow and asked, "Oh, does Dr. Jones have a talent other than archeology?"
Is she teasing me, Indian thought, surprised at her cheek.
"Not everyone knows this, but Dr. Jones is quite skilled with the bull whip" Marcus supplied.
"Bull whip!" she looked surprised, but her voice said other wise. Indy wasn't sure what was going on, but he was sure he didn't want a part of it. Deciding to snip this in the bud he said, "As appealing as parlor tricks may be in some circles, it is not my idea of fun"
Marcus sighs disappointedly, but a look of hurt flashes quickly behind Sara's green eyes. She masked it quickly with a look of indignation. She nodded quickly to Marcus, "well then, good day to you sirs, but I must be going now" she replied in a prim little voice and turned to leave.
Damn, Indy thought with a stab of guilt, I hadn't meant to hurt her feelings. She couldn't help it if she was so prissy, and she really was a good student. Always worked hard in his class and had one of the highest scores. With a sigh he left Marcus and took off to catch up with her in the corridor.
"Sara," he said catching up to her. She turned toward him, her face composed, but her eyes still flashing with anger. For a second Indy thought twice about apologizing. Her looks did improve a bit when she was mad. "Look," he said, "I'm sorry, that was uncalled for."
Her emerald eyes scanned his, and believing him truly sorry, she forgave him. "It's ok, Dr. Jones. I told Dr. Brady that you wouldn't seem interested but you know him, he wont take no for an answer."
"No is overrated anyway," Indiana said.
"Is that so?" Sara said, a look of hope beginning to show in her face.
"If it means that much to you and Dr. Brady, then I guess I can help out" He said.
A quirky little smile worked its way on her lips, making her eyes sparkle, "Why thank you Dr. Jones. You won't regret it. Rehearsals are at 8 o'clock tonight. I'll see you then" And with that she walked away, a bounce in her step. Indy stood there watching her retreating back, and couldn't help but notice that even though she was a bit of a priss, she certainly didn't walk like one.