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something society accepts, such as aggression in sports or the military or." he said with a wider smile, "politics."
I laughed.
"Daddy would never discount any theory out of hand."
"I know. He was the quintessential Renaissance man, the man with an open mind. I imagine he had no prejudices."
I thought for a moment,
"The only thing I know my father couldn't tolerate was prejudice. He was prejudiced against people with closed minds," I said.
They brought our food. and I immediately remarked on how delicious it was.
"I'm happy I didn't disappoint you," he said. - So. I imagine your adoptive mother must have been quite a woman as well."
"Quite," I said dryly. He raised one eyebrow.
"Let just say that was where my father was a typical man first and the professor second, and leave it at that," I added.
He smiled.
"So." he said, dabbing his mouth with his napkin. "am I to assume you are romantically unattached, since you are recently arrived here?"
"No," I said.
"No. I shouldn't assume., or no, you're not romantically involved?"
"No, you shouldn't assume," I said.
He kept his smile. but I saw his eyes darken a bit. "And you, Professor? I see no wedding ring."
"Close, but no gold ring, no," he replied. "It takes a special sort of woman to want to live with a man who is so dedicated to his work, especially because the work is so abstract. You don't see a finished product, like a house or a suit. Ideas are too mysterious."
"Yes. My adoptive mother never really took my father's work seriously-- only seriously enough to see it as a form of competition for her attention and time." He nodded.
"Are you working on some original theory?" I asked him, thinking I might just be a part of his research.
"Yes. I'm not sure how original it is. but I am exploring the influence of certain aspects of the physical environment on the psyche. The obvious things are already well accepted-- people are more depressed in bad climates, et cetera-- but I think we have to continually evaluate the effects of technology on our personalities. But, please, don't let me get started and bore you with one of my lectures, at least not until you're trapped in my classroom." he added. and I laughed.
He was a charming man. I thought. Daddy would have liked him.
He asked me questions about my classes at UNC and we talked a bit about the school. I ate everything on my plate, not leaving a crumb,
"You did enjoy this. I'm glad. Would you like anything else? Coffee, some deep-fried ice cream, perhaps?" he asked.
"No, I'm fine," I said. "I have to get back anyway."
"Well, thank you for joining me and permitting me to ask you these questions.
"Thank you. Professor," I said. He signaled the waitress again, and paid the bill.
I drove him back to the campus. On the way, he told me more about his family, their restaurant, and his own college education. I learned he was actually as young as he looked, only twenty-eight.
"I was chosen to attend a school for special, advanced students and graduated high school at age sixteen, college at nineteen, and I had my master's and then my doctorate by twenty-two," he told me. "That is why I grew this beard. to cover up what my mother calls her cara del bebe, her baby face." he confessed, then added after a moment's pause, "Thanks again for sharing with me."
'sao benvinido,' I replied.
"Huh?"
