The professor

Professor Lee had a B.S. from Cal Tech, a masters from Stanford, and a PhD from Harvard. Professor Lee could calculate the speed of any subatomic particle of every element in his head and wax philosophical the wonders of the quark and antiquark. Yes, Professor Lee knew a lot. But he didn't know everything.

Professor Lee didn't know that every morning, the girl woke up and murmured a prayer to Whomever Was Up There requesting that Professor Lee fall madly deeply in love with her.

Professor Lee didn't know that the girl applied cherry-red lip gloss before every class.

Professor Lee didn't know that the girl dressed up and dolled herself up before venturing anywhere, whether it be the supermarket or the club, just in case she bumped into him.

Professor Lee was tall and lean with almond shaped eyes, smooth olive skin and a handsome, kind face. He wore black spectacles that always sat precariously at the edge of his nose when he called on students. The girl made sure to participate just enough to convey enthusiasm but not so much to be annoying. He was always so serious and stern with his even voice and reserved hand gestures.

"I wonder what's he's like in bed," the girl said to her friend.

"Ew," the friend said. "What is with your attraction to odd, ugly or weird guys?"

"He's not ugly! He's...eccentric," she said dreamily.

"Whatever."

One of her office hours fantasies went as follows:

[Soft knock on the door]

"Come in."

[Slowly opens the door] "Hi Professor Lee."

"Hello, come sit down."

"You know, Professor Lee, there's something I have to tell you."

"Oh?"

"I...I...I have always been in love with you, from the moment I saw you pull down that periodic table and point to hydrogen with your laser pointer." [Dramatic pause.] "I hope that's not too forward of me to say..."

"No...you see, I know already."

"You know?"

"Yes."

"But how?"

"Because. I'm Professor Lee."

"Oh, of course."

"And I must confess..."

"Yes?"

"I am already madly in love with you. You are everything I could want in a woman."

"I am?"

"Yes...ever since I saw you in the first row in the first day of class with your text book opened to page 1."

"Oh..."

"But this can never happen. I am your professor and you are my student."

"Alas, so true, so true."

"For now, we must resume our lives as if we never knew the truth."

"You mean live lives of lies and abject misery."

"More or less."

"So be it."

[The girl stands up to leave and then pauses.] "Unless..."

"Unless?"

"Unless I temporarily decide drop the class and just jump you now."

[Professor Lee looks at the girl. The girl looks at Professor Lee. He pauses and performs perhaps the most complex calculation in his head.] "Fair enough."

[Door locks.]

--Fantasy ends--Reality begins--

The girl looked at her watch. Ten minutes to three. She opened up her make-up kit and pulled out the cherry red lip gloss.