Thinking of friendship cemented by real estate deals, I smiled.
'He's a solid boy,' he said. 'The earring and the hair are just part of the image-you know he's a college professor, don't you?'
I nodded.
'The kids he teaches eat that kind of thing up. He's a great teacher, won awards for it.'
'That so?'
'Lots of them. You'll never hear him toot his own horn. He was always like that. Modest. I've got to do his bragging for him. He was winning them back when he was a student. Went to Yale. Always had a flair for it, teaching. Used to tutor the slow boys in his fraternity and get them up to grade. Tutored high school kids, too-got a commendation for it. It's a gift, like anything else.'
His hands were still linked together, two stubby, fleshy grappIes. He separated them, fanned them on the table. Closed the fingers.
Scratched the Formica.
'Sounds like you're pretty proud of him,' I said.
'I most certainly am. Cindy too. Lovely girl, no pretensions.
They've created something solid-proof of the pudding is Cassie. I know I'm not objective but that little girl is adorable and beautiful and smart. Great disposition to boot.'
'No mean feat,' I said. 'Considering.'
His eyes wandered. Closed and opened.
'You know we lost one before her, don't you? Beautiful little boy-crib death. They still don't know why that happens, do they?'
I shook my head.
'That was hell on earth, Doctor. Clear out of the blue-one day he's here; the next... I just can't understand why no one can tell me what's wrong with this one.'
'No one really knows, Chuck.'
He waved that off. 'I still don't understand why you're involved.
Don't take that personally. I know you've heard all sorts of horror stories about why we abolished the Psychiatry division. But the truth is, that had nothing to do with approving or disapproving of mental health treatment. I certainly do approve-what's not to approve?
Some people need help. But the fact is that the weak sisters running Psychiatry had no idea how to construct a budget and stick to it, let alone do their own jobs competently. The clear picture I got from the other doctors was that they were inept. Of course, to hear it now, they were all geniuses-we destroyed a center of psychiatric brilliance.'
He rolled his eyes. 'No matter. Hopefully, one day we'll be able to establish a good, solid department. Bring in some top people. You used to work here, didn't you?'
'Years ago.'
'Would you ever consider returning?'
I shook my head.
'Why'd you leave?'
'Various reasons.'
'The freedom of the private sector? Be your own boss?'
'That was part of it.'
