Chapter 2 #3
How did this person think it was okay to ask that when I’d just mentioned Nesto had a partner, and why did he think I was interested in having a conversation with him about anything?
“Nesto and I have been friends since we were like eight years old, Brad. Also, like I said, he has a partner. They live together and are in a committed monogamous relationship.”
Not that it’s any of your motherfucking business..
He didn’t respond and took his time running a hand over his heather-gray sweater, as I sat there fidgeting.
“So, I actually stopped by to let you know that you were being ‘discussed’ at a dinner I was at yesterday, with some of the more senior faculty.” The smug ass look on his face told me this was probably the reason why he’d come in here in the first place.
“Okay.” It was hard not to glare.
“They were talking about your social media presence.” I would dearly love to wipe that shit-eating grin off his face.
“Departments have to pay attention to that sort of thing, in case a faculty member says something inappropriate that could hurt the school.” He was loving this little bullshit power play, but I would not give him the satisfaction of seeing me even slightly fazed.
When he realized I was not going to respond, he opened his mouth again. “You certainly have a following and seem very focused on hot-button issues.”
I tried not to cut my eyes at him, but it was so fucking hard. “I’m not sure I follow.”
He lifted a shoulder, and I could tell he was about to say something that would infuriate me, and for the millionth time, I asked myself why I was willing to work in a field that was full of people like this.
“Well, social justice is important and certainly something this department aims to look at closely. It just seems like you’re so heated in your posts.”
This time, I really did have to school my expression.
“I am ‘heated’ in my posts, Brad.” I actually made air quotes.
“I post about angering things. I also make it very clear in my account that all my opinions are my own and nothing to do with my employer. Which I don’t even mention in my bio, by the way.
I know the department is well aware of my social media presence; it came up in my interviews. ”
He just stared at me with that self-satisfied look on his face, like he was super happy he’d pissed me off.
I was getting very close to leaning into my general annoyance with this guy when Ted, another faculty, popped his head in my office and saved me from myself.
I stood up and walked over to the door, feeling deeply grateful for Ted’s timing. “Hey man. Good to see you.”
Ted was in the sociology department. He’d gotten tenured a few years back, but unlike Brad, he was the opposite of pretentious. He was also Jude’s friend and an all-around good guy.
“Hey, I was about to go to the coffee shop downstairs.” He cast an icy look in Brad’s direction and then turned his attention back to me. “I was wondering if you wanted to walk down together.”
I was not one to show emotion, but at the moment I hoped the expression on my face could convey just how grateful I was to be rescued from this train wreck of a conversation.
“Sure. I could use some caffeinating.”
Brad got a clue for once and stood up. But not without a “Coffee break already, it must be nice to be in a field where the pressure to publish isn’t as rigorous.”
Ted only nodded and kept talking to me. His wife Carmen’s salt must’ve been rubbing off on him. “The barista that makes the good lattes is there today, Patrice.”
Yeah, that ice he was sending Brad’s way was all Carmen.
Brad made a big show of shoving the chair back and popping up. “I should get going, I’m almost done with that revision I’ve been working on.” I loved how all of a sudden Brad was Mr. Hustle when he’d been sitting in my office like he had nothing but time for the last ten minutes.
Ted shook his head as we started for the stairs. “That dude is a fucking pill. I can’t stand him. I wasn’t even going to get coffee, but when I walked by and saw his ass parked in your office, I figured you needed some rescuing.”
I just nodded, not wanting to get into how the conversation with Brad had annoyed the hell out of me.
One of the reasons why I liked Ted was that I didn’t need to explain to him why certain things people said landed poorly with me.
He was a good ally and listener, and I appreciated having him around.
As we walked to get our coffee, Ted didn’t push me to talk, which I appreciated. “Speaking of infuriating things, did you see the story of the two students that got stopped by the police yesterday?”
I shook my head, already dreading whatever he was about to say.
“From what I read about it, it sounds like they were barely going five miles over the speed limit. They’re filing a complaint for harassment. Of course, nothing so far about accountability for the officers who’re doing this shit.”
I exhaled at the same time I felt the muscles in my shoulders tense again.
“I didn’t hear.” I sighed, weary as fuck already, and it was barely 10:00 a.m. on a Monday.
“I mean it’s not like I expected this kind of thing to only happen in the city, but it’s never not disappointing.
” Ted only nodded, his handsome face thunderous, as I pulled out my phone.
I opened the app and noticed a tweet from earlier this morning, where I’d dragged some DC flunkie for some mess brewing down there, had blown up. I started tapping out a new one.
Nice to know the move from NYC to Upstate is not going to let me get rusty. Driving While Black seems to be enough to get hassled up here, too. Any students getting stopped for going five miles over the limit? @ me if you are.
I hit send and put my phone back in my pocket and when I looked up at Ted, he was grinning at me.
“You’re going to be good for this town.”