It's Only Temporary (30 page)

Chapter 37.

Rockwell University was situated in the town of Rockwell a short distance outside of Austin’s city limits. I estimated that the temperature was akin to that of the surface of the sun, however Hank’s car was air conditioned, as was the Campus garage, the atrium and the lift to my floor.

‘This is your apartment,’ Hank advised me as we stepped into the cool hallway. There were four rooms all air conditioned as well with views across the campus, the doorman had been very friendly and advised me that is there was anything I needed to “Just ask”. I was already starting to feel at home, I just needed to be sure I was not being shown the most impressive place only to find I lived in a Texan version of Henrietta street once I started.

‘Great, is the staff accommodation which goes with the job similar to this?’

‘No, you don’t get me partner, this
is your apartment.
This is where you will live when you work here.’

‘Oh.’ Where do I sign up I thought.

‘I know you are tired so make yourself at home, if you get hungry use the interactive TV to order from the kitchen they will deliver what you want. If you fancy a sauna or a Jacuzzi, the staff gym is on the ground floor of this building, the doorman will make sure you are ok.’

‘That’s great, thanks.’

‘I will come and get you tomorrow morning and give you a tour of the Campus and the local neighbourhood. After that you’re a free agent until your presentation which is Thursday at eleven am. That ok with you?’

‘Yeah, certainly. Listen the subject matter for the presentation?’

‘Oh anything you decide is fine with us.’

Had I died and gone to heaven?

Having eaten my digitally ordered dinner I made my way down to the atrium, I was greeted by the doorman and I was embarrassed to realise I had neglected to ask his name.

‘Evening sir, anything I can do for you?’

‘Err, well I was gonna go for a walk and maybe try the Jacuzzi?’

‘Good choice. Take this with you, it will give you access to the gym,’ he said handing me a credit card sized piece of plastic. ‘As you’re new you may get challenged by Campus Security, if that happens just show them that and tell them to check with Barry.’

So that was his name, ‘Thanks a lot…Barry.’

‘You have a good evening sir.’

The Sun had almost gone down and the air had turned from stiflingly hot to pleasantly warm as I wandered through the well-lit campus. There were numerous people moving about and without exception I was greeted with a friendly smile where ever I went.

This is it, I’m gonna stay here for ever I decided,
London seemed like it was on a different planet let alone continent. I returned to the gym and tried out the sauna in which I lasted about thirty seconds. Good grief how do people put up with such torture? More importantly, why? However the warm unoccupied Jacuzzi was a revelation and it was with great reluctance that I climbed out when the life guard for the pool advised me he was locking up as it was ten pm.

Returning to my apartment I lay down on the bed and reached across to turn the air conditioning up slightly. To my surprise the bed started shaking; in a panic I tried to remember if they had earth quakes in
Texas? I had no idea. Then I realised it was an electronic bed that could achieve a multitude of different positions and effects, ranging from “Mild Ripple” through to “Vigorous Pulse”. I did not like the sound of vigorous pulse and settle for mild ripple, however after ten minutes I started to feel queasy so turned it off.

The next morning I ordered breakfast which arrived within ten minutes and following a wonderful session in the power shower awaited Hank’s arrival.

‘Morning Buddy,’ he said as I let him in. ‘Ready to Rock and Roll?’ he asked.  I had an image of Max flash in front of my eyes; this made me smile but also brought about the realisation that I missed him and Stacy.

Still smiling I said ‘Absolutely.’

We toured the Campus and eventually ended it up in a building that was like every other on site, modern, clean, airy and generally perfect to work in. This building however was slightly different as it would house the new Egyptology course. Hank showed me some classrooms which all had interactive white boards and individual touch screen computers for both the teacher and students.

From there we moved to the logically titled administrative area, ‘This is you,’ Hank said showing me into an office with a panoramic view. There was a large mahogany desk compete with the standard touch screen, a very comfortable looking leather chair and a
n empty display case. Hank saw me looking curiously at the empty case, ‘Oh that’s for any artefacts you find during the field trips to Egypt,’ he explained.

I wandered over to the desk and ran my fingers over the back of the chair, ‘Go on, try it for size,’ he suggested. Sitting in the padded leather chair was I decided the most comfortable experience I had ever had, except for last night’s Jacuzzi that was.

‘Make it so,’ Hank quipped.

‘Sorry?’

‘Engage?’

Again I had no idea what he meant, ‘Captain Picard?’ I shook my head. ‘The
Enterprise? Star Trek?’

‘I thought he was called Kirk?’

‘A zillion years ago buddy, where ya been?’

Trying to regain some credibility I thought back to something Stacy had said ‘There is a futility in resistance. Captain Borg said that,’ he nodded smiling at me. Happy that my street cred had been restored I was also conscious that my mind had yet again formed a picture of
Stacy why did that keep happening?

He then led me into a secondary office where an attractive lady of about my age was sitting at a desk, ‘This is Rae,’ she smiled and said ‘Hi Marcus.’ I was slightly taken aback that she knew my name but Hank added, ‘Rae’s your secretary come PA.’

‘Oh, well that’s…..nice,’ I had never had my own secretary before and was not sure how to react to this information.

‘That’s right,’ she said. ‘But we have to get something straight right now.’

‘Yes?’ I asked my sense of trepidation rising.

‘Are you a Tea or Coffee guy?’

Hank laughed and feeling a sense of relief I said ‘Earl Grey, with lemon.’

Without a moment’s hesitation she asked, ‘What type of lemon?’

There were types? ‘Yellow,’ I said.

‘Sliced or squeezed?’

‘Sliced.’

‘Alrighty then, when you want a tea, I’m your gal.’

I considered asking if she was married but decided it might be inappropriate.

Hank and I drove through town, in his car and then on to the sports complex where the Rockwell Rangers the Universities football team played. ‘Every Friday night, the whole town is here on these bleachers,’ he told me. Great time to use the gym I thought to myself.

‘This Friday?’ I asked.

‘You betcha, pre-season friendly against
Dallas.’

‘It all sounds very glamorous.’

‘Glamorous? That’s a new one, well you will have done everything by then so what a way to let off some steam? I’ll pick you up at seven pm?’

‘I have no idea what to wear,’ I said feeling very foolish.

‘Well we can fix that right now.’

I bought a Rangers shirt and baseball cap from the University shop and as we drove back to my apartment I decided to address one area of concern I had.

‘Hank?’

‘Yep?’

‘We have not talked about my return journey home yet.’

He looked at me for a se
cond before he returned his eyes to the road, ‘No, that’s right. I kinda hoped you wouldn’t be going back y’see. That you’d kind of just hang with us until the semester started,’ he paused then said ‘Look if it comes to it just ask Barry, he will sort it out for you ok?’

‘Oh,’ for some reason this bizarrely made me feel uncomfortable, trapped even. What was I thinking? The whole place was like a dream come true yet at the back of my mind I was worrying about getting back to
London, it made no sense. ‘Right, of course. Well that’s fine,’ I said.

‘You gotta get through the next two days first though,’ he warned. Then he laughed, ‘Joshing you partner, trust me it’s a done deal.’

‘Excellent,’ I said without any conviction.

Chapter 38.

Thursday was presentation day; when it all became real. Despite this I was not nervous as I knew each of the presentations by heart. Dressing as smartly as I could in my black trousers and pale yellow shirt I realised that I had inadvertently selected the clothes I last wore to the night club. It seemed that no matter how I tried I could not shake off the reminders of Stacy and the centre. I had promised to call her I remembered, however I decided to wait until Friday night when it was all over with in order to avoid creating any further mental distractions.

Entering the large lecture hall I met the board for the first time, although they weren’t as forthcoming as Hank they were certainly making an effort to put me at my ease. I climbed onto the stage and inserted my memory stick into the
USB slot, a small screen flickered into life and I could see my various files. A text box appeared which told me to press the button on the hand held remote I had been given to load the presentation and to advance each frame.

‘So Marcus,’ Hank called ‘What are you going to show us?’

I had selected to use the “Early Sandstone Construction” presentation as I knew form my initial meeting with Hank and his students they were mesmerised by the size of the man-made blocks used in the pyramids. However on impulse, I changed my mind.

‘How about “Nefertiti A Child Queen”?’ I said with a vivid picture of Jade exclaiming “Girl Power” in my head. I obviously couldn’t avoid or suppress these reminders, so I elected to embrace them.

‘Sounds good partner.’

I pressed the button and a huge picture of my first slide appeared behind me. With a smile I said ‘Nefertiti was only fifteen when she changed a nation, indeed the world it could be argued…’ 

‘Outstanding,’ the elderly gentleman who was seemingly trying to shake my arm from its socket gushed, ‘Absolutely outstanding, I look forward to seeing you tomorrow at the interview,’ he added. I received verbal or physical pats on the back from everyone present and after a while found myself alone with Hank as I retrieved my memory stick.

‘Great job buddy.’

‘You think?’

‘The guy who was trying to break your arm in his enthusiasm?’

‘Yeah?’

‘Chairman of the board…’

Chapter 39.

The following day was the day I had been dreading, the interview. At least it was again at eleven am so I could get it over with early rather than have to wait all day for it. I went for a walk at six am before it got too hot and encountered numerous joggers all looking like they had never broken sweat in their lives. Everybody here was near perfect, the place itself was near perfect, so why was I feeling unsettled? At least I could ring Stacy later to tell her how it had gone, that thought made me feel better and I returned to my apartment to get ready.

‘They will see you now,’ Rae told me as she gestured to the boardroom door. ‘Knock em dead Cowboy,’ she whispered as I passed her.

I needn’t have worried; it was evident that my knowledge base of the subject, teaching in general and field trips far outweighed theirs. I became a little tongue tied when they asked me about the cost of a field trip, I had no idea and was in danger of stumbling through an answer when in desperation I told them how much I had personally spent during the summer.

There was a pause after this answer and my heart was pounding, had I blown it?

‘You mean you undertook a dig as you call it, on your own time with your own money?’ one of the panel asked.

‘Yes.’

‘Your University didn’t fund you?’ another added.

‘No.’

There was another long pause before the arm breaker who I had discovered was named Hughie said, ‘Well, now that’s what I call dedication to the cause!’ The all laughed, I was not sure if this was a good or bad sign.