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“That’s crazy! You were so set against it, but you ended up in academia anyway.”
I laugh. “It’s funny how life works out in ways you least expect. If I hadn’t gone to Nepal, I don’t know where I’d be now. I certainly wouldn’t be a teacher. I think my time in the wilderness – meeting all of those people – is what made me want to teach at the college level.”
“What about your poetry?”
“Oh, that,” I say. “I started that in Nepal. My first big awards were for poems I wrote while I was trekking the mountains there. I’m telling you, spending time in the mountains does wonders for creativity.”
“You’re such a renowned poet; you probably don’t even need to teach. Why do you?”
“I like people too much to be a poet full time. I get lonely when I’m writing. I tried that for a little bit between my master’s degree and my PhD. I finally decided that teaching would give me time to be a poet while allowing me the opportunity to be around people. I do most of my writing in the summer when school is out.”
“That makes sense. I still can’t believe you’ve done so much with your life! I can’t imagine traveling so far.”
“You’re still young, Mari. You have plenty of time.”
She laughs. “I know, but still! I could never take off to Nepal for two years, that’s for sure. I’d miss my friends and family too much.”
Her eyes meet mine, and there’s something deeper behind them. Would she miss Mark and me, too? I hope so. Getting to know her is deepening the instant connection I felt. Mari is amazing. If I went to Nepal now, I would miss her incredibly. Mark, too.
“Do you miss traveling?” Mari asks after a brief pause.
“I do,” I admit. “I’m a restless soul. But I do love NYU. I could have worked pretty much anywhere, but I chose NYU because it’s an amazing school, and I like being in the city. I try to take a trip or two every year to keep my wanderlust at bay, though.”
“Where was your last trip?”
“I went to Colorado over winter break,” I tell her. “I hadn’t been in a while, and I was in the mood for some good skiing.”
Mari stares at me in awe. I don’t mean to seem like a braggart. I hope she doesn’t think I’m crazy for loving to travel. It’s part of who I am as a person.
Talking about traveling gives me the itch to go somewhere again. I have a work trip coming up soon. Hopefully, that will tide me over for a while.
Instead of judging me for my adventures, Mari surprises me.
“Okay, Mark,” she says. “John has wowed us with his life story. Now, it’s your turn.”
Mark laughs, but he sits up straighter in his seat. It’s his turn to be interrogated. I lean back and get ready for his story, even though I already know how he ended up here.
I would listen to the story over and over again if it meant more time with the two people I care most about.
8
Mari
Mark sits up straighter in his chair and folds his hands on the table. I don’t mean to put him on the spot, but I genuinely want to learn more about these men, especially if we’re to have a new kind of relationship.
“Well, I have always been interested in English and Literature. My parents were worried that a bachelor’s degree wasn’t enough to ensure a steady career, so they encouraged me to go for my master’s. I was able to teach a few community college courses with that, but it wasn’t enough for me or my parents. If I’m going to teach, I want to do it at the university level.”
“That’s an impressive goal.”
Mark blushes. “Maybe not as impressive as a literary journal…”
I laugh. “That’s not a done deal. University jobs are probably more stable than working for a journal.”
“True. But probably not as satisfying.”
I disagree. It seems like both Mark and John love teaching. They’re not selfish with their knowledge. They want other people to learn. And they’re really good at it. I feel like I’ve learned more in my lit class with them at the helm than in all of my other courses put together. Plus, I enjoy going to class every week, and not just because the professor and the TA are hot. They make it fun to learn. I understand why they chose this career path.
“You’re a natural at teaching,” I say. “You seem so comfortable in front of people. I could never do that.”
“It’s a learned skill. I hated public speaking in high school. My undergrad courses helped me learn to enjoy it, but speaking in front of others still stresses me out.”
“Really?” I ask doubtfully. “I don’t believe that.”
