Chapter 49
DANNY
“You wanted to see me?”I say to Dr. Heder, the chair of the art department.
When he peers up at me from his laptop and sees me standing in the doorway of his office, his brow lifts the slightest bit, almost like he’s surprised I showed up. That’s weird. He’s the one who emailed me this morning and told me to stop by his office first thing to address some “pressing matter.”
Dr. Heder clears his throat and sits up in his desk chair. “Yes. Please have a seat.”
I take the chair in front of him.
“Professor Darden, it’s come to my attention that you’ve been engaging in some questionable personal activities.”
I frown at him, confused. “Excuse me?”
Dr. Heder’s thick brow wrinkles as he sighs. He peers down at his laptop, types quickly, and spins the screen to me. And that’s when my stomach bottoms out completely. There’s a screenshot of my Dream Guy profile. It’s a second before the shock wears off and the text below the image comes into focus. It’s another blog article bashing Dream Guy, calling it an escort service and claiming that it’s a platform for adultery and cheating.
“Professor Darden, is that you on this app? Dream Guy something or other?”
I take in the stare Dr. Heder is leveling at me. I can feel his judgment, his disapproval, his disgust.
“Yeah, that’s me.”
Dr. Heder leans back slightly. Not sure if it’s because of my hard and pointed tone or how quickly I admitted it.
“Well. In that case, I’m afraid that we’re going to have to terminate you.”
“What?”
This time he falls against his chair. Probably because my tone is a hair below a shout.
“Why are you firing me?” I demand.
Dr. Heder takes a few seconds to do yet another full-body inhale/exhale before slow blinking and refocusing on me.
“Professor Darden, I’m sure you’re aware there’s a code of conduct that all university faculty and staff are required to abide by. Everyone is expected to engage in respectable and decent activities on and off campus for the duration of their employment with the university. The fact that you’re working as an escort violates that code of conduct.”
My blood is boiling. I can’t fucking believe this.
“What the—I’m not an escort.”
“Really? Are you not an employee of Dream Guy?”
I grit my teeth. “Yeah. But you’re mistaken. It’s not an escort service. It’s a dating app that I work part-time for. There’s nothing in the employee handbook or the university code of conduct that says anything about adjuncts holding second jobs for supplemental income.”
“Professor Darden, it’s not a matter of?—”
“At least let me explain myself, explain the situation. That article is total crap, it’s not even true. Can’t I plead my case to the dean or human resources?”
Again Dr. Heder closes his eyes and shakes his head. It’s like he’s talking to a petulant child, not a colleague.
“Danny, I’m going to be frank. Semantics are irrelevant at this point. News about this escort service or dating service or whatever you care to call it is all over social media and some very popular news blogs. Your image is all over.
“People are starting to make the connection that you, a Portland State College art professor, are working as an escort. Now, whether or not you’re technically an escort isn’t the point. The point is people think that you are. And that’s the problem.
“You’re in violation of the university’s code of ethics. I’ve already talked to the dean and to HR. You’re terminated, end of story. I’m sorry.”
Dr. Heder shuts his laptop and starts spouting something about paperwork and HR, but I don’t register much of it. I’m too pissed.
That’s it. My passion, my entire career—my dream of teaching art to students is gone. I lost it in less than five minutes because of a bullshit blog article.
I push up and out of my chair. “Fuck this.”
Dr. Heder is wide-eyed at my muttered curse. “I beg your pardon?”
I lean down so that I’m inches from his face. “I said. Fuck. This.”
He scoffs. “You most certainly don’t need to curse, Professor Darden.”
I tug a hand through my hair as a bitter laugh falls from my mouth. “Cool it with the ‘Professor Darden,’ Wallace. I don’t work here anymore. No need for formalities, right?”
He stammers. I glower down at him, taking in the befuddled look on his face.
“You know what? This—the way you and the university have chosen to handle this is the most antiquated bullshit. Dream Guy is a dating app, not an escort service. There’s a difference. But even if I were an escort, it shouldn’t fucking matter. What’s wrong with being an escort? As long as everyone involved is consenting and an adult, who fucking cares?”
It feels like lava simmering under my skin.
“You know what the real issue here is? The fact that this university pays its adjuncts a garbage wage. Maybe if you paid your staff and faculty an actual livable salary, we wouldn’t have to go out and work these so-called indecent jobs that you judge so harshly for no goddamn reason other than to feel morally superior.”
Dr. Heder stammers at first but soon goes quiet. I make a disgusted noise.
“You, this department, the whole fucking university should be ashamed of yourselves for paying professors like me absolute shit and then leaving us out to dry when we scramble for other ways to financially support ourselves.”
When I walk out of his office, I see a half dozen people peering out of the doorways of their offices along the hallway. But I don’t even feel embarrassed. I’m too pissed and too upset to care what I look like right now. All I can focus on is the fact that the career I’ve worked so hard for is gone.