Lucifers Tongue
Quiet Desperation
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2004
- Posts
- 1,639
The Professor and His Student (Closed)
Character Name - Professor Thomas Dalton
Age - 42
Height - 6'3
Weight - 200 lbs
Hair - Black (thanks to hair dye)
Eyes - Blue (thanks to contacts, real color is brown)
Occupation - Professor of Philosophy
*****************************************************
"No, Malcolm, I understand your position," Professor Dalton said, biting his tongue to keep from saying more. He was hunched forward over his desk, one hand holding the receiver to his ear, the other clutching his forehead as if trying to keep the contents from bursting forth. "Yes, Malcolm. I think I have just the thing, a piece on the influence of existentialism on modern presentations of christian theology," he paused, listening to Dean Hammonds.
As he listened to the Dean launch into another rant about the importance of publishing, Thomas closed his eyes tightly, somehow trying to fend off the headache that was beginning to pound through the back of his head. Resigning himself to the fact that just closing his eyes and wishing his problems away was not the solution, he reached down and pulled the bottom drawer of his desk open. He fished under the folders and documents until he finally pulled forth a bottle of whiskey, which he sat on the desk top. Reaching back into the drawer he pulled out a small shot glass and sat it beside the bottle.
"Of course you're right," he said, trying his best to sound sincere. "Things have just been so hectic this last year, with Emily going off to Stanford, and Elizabeth and I have been going through some difficult times. I'm sure you've heard the rumors," Thomas poured himself a shot as he listened to the Dean. "I appreciate that, Malcolm. I won't let you down," he replied before saying goodbye and placing the receiver down on the base.
He raised the shot glass in the air, "Here's to friendship," and with that he downed the first of what he intended to be many more. The truth was, he and his wife Elizabeth were going through more than just a tough time, they were divorcing. She had filed the papers two days ago. It was going to be messy, very messy. It had been a long time coming, ever since Elizabeth had found out about the affair Thomas had had with one of his grad students five years ago. They had certainly played at working through the problems but in the end neither really wanted to. Thomas knew that she would never forgive him and he didn't really care. She wasn't the woman he had fallen in love, even before the affair, she was cold and bitter and resentful. As the end of the marriage drew closer, he wondered if her heart had ever really been in the union.
The professor drank another shot of whiskey and sat the glass down when the phone rang again. He glanced down at his watch, 8:45, almost time for his office hours to end. He answered the phone somewhat reluctantly. It was Elizabeth, and she was shouting at him before he could even speak.
"Just calm down, damnit!" he said, trying to be heard over her hysteria. "What are you talking about? What bank account?" one of her attorneys had apparently discovered the private account that Thomas had created for himself, the one that he had been slowly diverting money into so that when the marriage did end, she wouldn't be able to take everything from him. "No, you listen to me, you bitch...that money is mine! It's all mine. You'll get what I give you and not a penny more!"
The more Beth shouted at him and called him names the angrier Thomas became, his face growing hot and red. The argument went on for a few more moments and culminated with Beth threatening to tell their daughter, Emily, about the affair and the bank account. By then the professor was fuming with a cold rage. He was so pissed, if his wife had been there in his office with him, he might have strangled her. Instead he slammed the phone down and then grabbed it and ripped it from the phone jack, throwing it across the room to shatter against the wall.
He reached for the bottle of whiskey, not bothering with the shot glass this time. As he drank down a large amount of whiskey, his throat burning, he heard a knock at his office door. The bottle still in his hand he stomped to the door and flung it open.
(Closed for TheOneThatGotAway)

Character Name - Professor Thomas Dalton
Age - 42
Height - 6'3
Weight - 200 lbs
Hair - Black (thanks to hair dye)
Eyes - Blue (thanks to contacts, real color is brown)
Occupation - Professor of Philosophy
*****************************************************
"No, Malcolm, I understand your position," Professor Dalton said, biting his tongue to keep from saying more. He was hunched forward over his desk, one hand holding the receiver to his ear, the other clutching his forehead as if trying to keep the contents from bursting forth. "Yes, Malcolm. I think I have just the thing, a piece on the influence of existentialism on modern presentations of christian theology," he paused, listening to Dean Hammonds.
As he listened to the Dean launch into another rant about the importance of publishing, Thomas closed his eyes tightly, somehow trying to fend off the headache that was beginning to pound through the back of his head. Resigning himself to the fact that just closing his eyes and wishing his problems away was not the solution, he reached down and pulled the bottom drawer of his desk open. He fished under the folders and documents until he finally pulled forth a bottle of whiskey, which he sat on the desk top. Reaching back into the drawer he pulled out a small shot glass and sat it beside the bottle.
"Of course you're right," he said, trying his best to sound sincere. "Things have just been so hectic this last year, with Emily going off to Stanford, and Elizabeth and I have been going through some difficult times. I'm sure you've heard the rumors," Thomas poured himself a shot as he listened to the Dean. "I appreciate that, Malcolm. I won't let you down," he replied before saying goodbye and placing the receiver down on the base.
He raised the shot glass in the air, "Here's to friendship," and with that he downed the first of what he intended to be many more. The truth was, he and his wife Elizabeth were going through more than just a tough time, they were divorcing. She had filed the papers two days ago. It was going to be messy, very messy. It had been a long time coming, ever since Elizabeth had found out about the affair Thomas had had with one of his grad students five years ago. They had certainly played at working through the problems but in the end neither really wanted to. Thomas knew that she would never forgive him and he didn't really care. She wasn't the woman he had fallen in love, even before the affair, she was cold and bitter and resentful. As the end of the marriage drew closer, he wondered if her heart had ever really been in the union.
The professor drank another shot of whiskey and sat the glass down when the phone rang again. He glanced down at his watch, 8:45, almost time for his office hours to end. He answered the phone somewhat reluctantly. It was Elizabeth, and she was shouting at him before he could even speak.
"Just calm down, damnit!" he said, trying to be heard over her hysteria. "What are you talking about? What bank account?" one of her attorneys had apparently discovered the private account that Thomas had created for himself, the one that he had been slowly diverting money into so that when the marriage did end, she wouldn't be able to take everything from him. "No, you listen to me, you bitch...that money is mine! It's all mine. You'll get what I give you and not a penny more!"
The more Beth shouted at him and called him names the angrier Thomas became, his face growing hot and red. The argument went on for a few more moments and culminated with Beth threatening to tell their daughter, Emily, about the affair and the bank account. By then the professor was fuming with a cold rage. He was so pissed, if his wife had been there in his office with him, he might have strangled her. Instead he slammed the phone down and then grabbed it and ripped it from the phone jack, throwing it across the room to shatter against the wall.
He reached for the bottle of whiskey, not bothering with the shot glass this time. As he drank down a large amount of whiskey, his throat burning, he heard a knock at his office door. The bottle still in his hand he stomped to the door and flung it open.
(Closed for TheOneThatGotAway)
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