From Boundless Webzine by J. Budziszewski
It was only a little past 11, and the Union was almost empty. Expecting a quiet lunch, I chose a table where I could look out the window at the Quad. No sooner had I set down my tray than a familiar face materialized in front of me. “Expecting someone, Prof?” It was Mark Manasseh.
“Not at all. Pull up a chair.”
He sat down with a plate of something I didn’t recognize.
“What’s that? Some kind of taco?”
“Haven’t you ever had a gyro?” he said. “It’s like a Greek taco. Gyros have been around a long time.”
I shook my head. “Food has changed.”
“Food isn’t the only thing that’s changed,” he said, and lapsed into a moody silence. He chewed meditatively.
“So what else has changed?”, I asked.
“Huh?”
“You said food isn’t the only thing that’s changed. What else has changed?”
“Oh. The rules. They’re always changing them on you in the middle of the game. I can’t tell who’s on first any more.”
“Who’s ‘they’? Has the Faculty Senate changed the graduation requirements again?”
“No. Actually I was thinking of a girl.” He played with his gyro, then looked up. “I guess I’m not being very clear.”
“Clear enough. Girl changes terms of relationship, guy confused. You don’t have to explain.”
“Maybe I should. We’ve talked about this kind of thing once before, and I could use the perspective of an, um, older person. Do you mind?”
I shook my head. “I have time. Being so old, you know.”
He reddened. “I only meant — ”
I laughed. “I know what you meant. Go ahead.”
“There’s this girl. Molly. She’s a friend. But that’s it: Just a friend. You know, we talk and do things together. But I talk and do things with all my friends.”
“Do you talk and do things with them the same way you talk and do things with Molly?”
“Not exactly. She’s a close friend.” He paused. “But just a close friend.”
I smiled. “Just very close.”
“Right.”
“And a girl.”
“Right.”
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