Shock and Awe in Academe
This is post 15 of Section I. To begin at the beginning, go here.
Jack felt Robert’s questioning gaze on him as he rinsed the silver. Absently, he held out a handful of forks to be dried. “He doesn’t just study things, he lives them. Like Horace’s pastoral retreat. He told me some pretty intimate details, too. Did you know he always associates your mother with the Schubert Cello Quintet?”
Robert waved the dishtowel to quash him. “Please. Too much information. Did he also tell you he hasn’t had a real experience in about thirty years? Tonight might be as close as he’ll ever come. He takes pastoral retreating entirely too far, if you ask me.”
Jack shrugged. “Who can plumb the depths? Perhaps one day he’ll shock the world.”
Robert laughed. “Something like you did, you mean? Secret life and all that? Not a chance. Besides, Mom handles the shock and awe department. Beefy administrators quail before her. ‘Yes, Ms. Bennett, of course I can see that fifty mature women performing a nude sit-in at the library would detract from the academic mission. . . . I will look into the possibilities personally at tomorrow’s meeting—Oh? You’ve already spoken with the Provost? Well then, I think I can promise you, madam, that library privileges will be extended to Independent Scholars—no need to—er—disrobe.’”
Jack laughed. “She didn’t.”
“No, they backed down,” said Robert, starting the dishwasher. “Because she would have.”
Continue
Jack felt Robert’s questioning gaze on him as he rinsed the silver. Absently, he held out a handful of forks to be dried. “He doesn’t just study things, he lives them. Like Horace’s pastoral retreat. He told me some pretty intimate details, too. Did you know he always associates your mother with the Schubert Cello Quintet?”
Robert waved the dishtowel to quash him. “Please. Too much information. Did he also tell you he hasn’t had a real experience in about thirty years? Tonight might be as close as he’ll ever come. He takes pastoral retreating entirely too far, if you ask me.”
Jack shrugged. “Who can plumb the depths? Perhaps one day he’ll shock the world.”
Robert laughed. “Something like you did, you mean? Secret life and all that? Not a chance. Besides, Mom handles the shock and awe department. Beefy administrators quail before her. ‘Yes, Ms. Bennett, of course I can see that fifty mature women performing a nude sit-in at the library would detract from the academic mission. . . . I will look into the possibilities personally at tomorrow’s meeting—Oh? You’ve already spoken with the Provost? Well then, I think I can promise you, madam, that library privileges will be extended to Independent Scholars—no need to—er—disrobe.’”
Jack laughed. “She didn’t.”
“No, they backed down,” said Robert, starting the dishwasher. “Because she would have.”
Continue
posted by Hobbes at 6:37 PM
4 Comments:
She sounds like she could be trouble. Wonder which parent the daughter will take after?
That's a good question, Icy. Having had a drama mama, they tend to leave dour kids in their wake.
But this situation looks like a drama mama and a dour daddy. So the suspense builds.
I don't think I've ever heard that expression, Doug, but I like the way you put that.
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