TOO CLOSE TO HOME
Chapter 23
Charlie was finding it harder to concentrate as the missed meals and sleepless nights finally caught up with him. He was at the chalkboard lecturing to a group of freshman students while he wrote out examples. Suddenly he felt the room start to spin. He dropped the chalk and gripped the tray so hard that his knuckles turned white as he waited for the dizziness to pass. He felt his legs give way and the next thing he knew he was sitting on the floor with his back against the chalkboard.
"Stay back. Give him some air."
"Should we call an ambulance?"
"No. I think he's starting to come out of it."
"Professor, can you hear me, Professor?"
Charlie slowly became aware of voices. Making no attempt to get up yet, he sat and listened to the voices, trying to match names to them.
"Drink this," someone said, handing him a cup of water. He tried to take it but his hands were shaking and he nearly dropped it.'
"Somebody get Professor Lyndell."
Charlie sighed, Grace Lyndell who taught Biochemistry held a medical degree along with her several doctorates. "I'm okay. But could somebody please give me a hand?"
Several strong arms lifted him to his feet and guided him to his chair where he gratefully sat down. One of the girls hovered nearby saying. "You don't look okay."
He waved off her concern. "I just got a bit dizzy."
"Professor, you were out of by at least a couple of minutes," She said firmly.
"Well, I'm okay now. Just give me a couple of minutes and we can resume where we left off."
The door opened and Professor Lyndell hurried in heading straight for Charlie. "Professor Eppes," they told me you passed out." She said with concern.
"I did but I'm okay now," Charlie replied, wishing they'd all stop fussing over him and let him get on with class.
"I'll be the judge of that," she said, studying his pale and damp face. "I know you skipped lunch yesterday so when is the last time you ate?'
"Yesterday afternoon," he replied, deciding to tell her the truth. He'd stayed in his room last night and slipped out early this morning.
"And what was that?"
"Italian ice."
"Okay, now I get it," she said frowning at him. "Could someone please run to the snack bar and bring back a bottle of orange juice and some crackers?"
"What about my class?" Charlie protested. "Or yours?"
"Mine are taking a test and yours can sit and study," Professor Lyndell said firmly. "If I don't see you in the cafeteria at lunch time or find you in the snack bar, I am going to track you down."
She would, Charlie knew that for a fact. If he were really lucky, neither his father nor Don would learn what happened. "Okay. I will be in the cafeteria. Satisfied?'
"As long I see you having something healthy and not the junk food that passes for lunch."
"Okay. You can go back to your class now."
The door opened again with the student bringing the orange juice and crackers. Professor Lyndell handed them to Charlie and looking to the students, said, "You make sure he finishes all that." She stood up and headed out the door.
Charlie took a drink of the orange juice feeling like every eye in the room was on him. The truth be told, he was still feeling a little dizzy but hadn't been about to let her know. When found himself starting to crash like that, he knew it was time to let up on pushing himself. After a few minutes the orange juice was starting to hit his system and he was feeling better. "Why you just review what you've learned and we'll start over again tomorrow?" he told the students.
Lunch time found Charlie waiting in line along with all people, Professor Lyndell. "She had to deliberately plan it that way," he told himself as he selected a sandwich, salad and bowl of fruit. Giving her a look that clearly said, "Enough is enough," he headed for an empty table to be by himself. He knew she was just looking out for his well being and he felt guilty for treating her that way. But he got enough of the same from his father and Don.
