Free Alligator Park by R. J. Blacks Page A

know.”
    “You’re making a big mistake.”
    “Mistake?”
    “Your place is here. And with
the right influence, you can be back in the lab,” he says.
    “Influence? Isn’t it too late
for that?”
    “Not necessarily. Dean Haas
and I go back a long time. She trusts me. If I work on her a bit, tell her what
a good candidate you are, she’ll eventually come around.”
    “You already tried that and
she blew you off.”
    “She did. But it takes time.”
    “How much time?”
    “I don’t know. Whatever it
takes. I’ll prod her a little, do what I can, but there are no guarantees of
course.”
    “So you want me to hang
around here indefinitely while you whisper in her ear what a great candidate I
am hoping she changes her mind, but she might not?” I say.
    “No need to get upset. Let’s
enjoy the evening. Lay back, have a few drinks. We’ll go over it later, at my
place.”
    At my place? He has never
invited me to his place before. We couldn’t, that is, under university rules.
Normally I would have jumped at the chance to spend an evening with him, but
something didn’t smell right here. Was he offering to trade influence for... sex?
    “Can’t we just go over it
now?” I ask.
    “This is not the place to
discuss business, this type of business.” he says forcefully.
    “But your apartment is?”
    “Look, you’re in a bind and
I’m offering to go out on a limb for you. Be realistic, I’m the only option you
have.”
    “So you’re offering to help
me... if you get something in return. Is that what you’re saying?”
    Logan softens his tone.
    “It’s what we both want,
isn’t it? Why hold back? Let your heart go. Fulfill those desires you’ve always
held inside. It’ll be good for you.”
    This was starting to get
weird. I was seeing a side to Logan I never imagined. He was trying to use me,
take advantage of my hopeless situation.
    “You know Logan, all of a
sudden I’ve lost my appetite. If you really want to help me, you’ll do it,
without any special favors. And if not, screw you!”
    I throw the napkin on the
table, get up and walk out the door. I wasn’t about to be a mistress for
anyone, even Logan.
    I head for the black-iron
gate, enter the university, and on to my friend Ben. I see Will up ahead,
feeding the pigeons as he always does about this time of day. He sees me
coming, but senses I’m in no mood to talk. I sit in solitude next to Ben
staring at the trees avoiding eye contact with Will. Will finishes the bag of
bread scraps then empties the remaining crumbs onto the ground.
    “Who’ll take care of your
family when you’re away?” I ask.
    “I’ve already made
arrangements with my friend Moe. He comes by here every day anyway, and we both
go to the same places, so he said he would pick up the bread scraps for me and
feed the pigeons.”
    “I bet that eases your mind,
that someone will look out for your family.”
    “Moe’s a good guy. He’ll do
anything for you, if it’s possible. I trust him completely.”
    “When do you want to leave?”
I ask.
    “Oh, any day’s fine. I can be
packed in an hour.”
    “How about Sunday?”
    “Sunday’s fine, as long as we
make it after twelve o’clock noon. I always go to the Chapel on Sunday mornings
and I want to say goodbye to my friends.”
    “Okay, settled. Sunday it is,
at noon. Meet you right here.”
    “I’ll be waiting,” he says.
     

CHAPTER 8
     
     
     
    It’s Saturday, and my apartment is getting
sparse. I’ve already sold off the couch, TV, bed, dresser, and a few
miscellaneous cabinets. My bed now consists of a Yoga mat rolled out onto the
floor. I’ve made arrangements with the landlord to leave the remaining items in
the apartment and he was fine with that. He said he would sell, give away, or
leave the items for the next tenant. He offered to send me money for the items
he sold, but I told him to keep it. He’s been a good landlord, and I was not going
to worry about a few dollars.
    I spend the day