#ilasdad

Twelve people was not a bad turnout. Everyone had their own workplace. Ingredients were plentiful. And we had exactly one man in the group. I was not sure about his disruptive influence yet.

Up to now, he had donned an apron (white, nondescript), put out a notebook (new, lined), set a pen (filled with actual ink) next to it and now looked around with pretend confidence. I could seem him take deep breaths in between greeting the other participants.

For now, that was acceptable behaviour.

He took out and set the different kitchen utensils we provide his way. So, he might actually have some experience. Not a bad sign.

But I still decided to watch him. Our last participant just arrived and took the place next to him:

“Hello, my name’s Janet Dunn… it seems we are neighbours tonight,” she smiled, and he took her hand, looking away just a moment to shake it.

“Ah, hello Janet, name’s Enoch Loew, pleased to have you at my side” and returned to rearranging everything with a bit of a frown.

After a minute, she blinked and asked: “Ah it doesn’t seem to have started yet? What… are you doing?”

“Ah…” He changed some things around once again. “I try to find my home-order of things. Otherwise I will find nothing while we are cooking. For now, it’s a wok in progress.”

Inwardly, I facepalmed.

But his neighbour giggled: “Well! Don’t sweat the small stove.”

Rubbing my eyes, I slouched into the teacher lounge.

A huge yawn escaped me.

When I opened my eyes again, there was a very orderly man already sitting on his desk, straightening some papers and checking with a calendar. Quite busy, really.

But. There was a very silver lining to this. Even a silver horizon. Because Enoch meant-

Yes, indeed. The coffee machine was happily bubbling at the side of the office.

With a smile only freshly brewed coffee at eight in the morning could give me, I grabbed for my cup and filled it with black goodness.

Carefully sipping it, I walked over to the one busy table in the office, even remembering my coaster to put the cup at the far end of his table. Less trouble that way.

“Heeey mate, you’re mighty busy this early in the morning”

He looked up and smiled at me: “Good morning, Professor Beattie. And… well, there are only 15 minutes until the classes start”

I blinked slowly, then grinned: “Did your wife keep you in bed too long again?”

He stopped writing and blushed. Even his ears turned slightly red.

“I mean, really, with what you told us, I wonder how you can be this awake at this hour, it’s almost a mir-“

“PROfessor Beattie. I… thought we didn’t want to bring up the staff meeting again”

Well, the staff meeting HAD been rather late in the evening, hadn’t it? My grin became wider: “And I thought we wanted to call me Michael. Or Mike? I’m pretty sure I’ve tried every single time we spoke. It works with our other colleagues…”

“Well, Professor, you are the senior staff member, so I was merely-,“ he still looked away from me.

“Joseph! That’s my middle name. Is that better?” Some people didn’t like certain names.

“I… suppose…” He didn’t look very convinced.

So I huffed and pulled out my ‘homework’: “Very good! Thanks for leading the staff meeting, anyway. Here’s the schedules with all vacations, planned absences, time restrictions, guest speakers and obligatory exams. I double checked. So, I guess we can make the plans a little better. With your… ah… schedule-program thing, I’m sure we can make it easier for everyone.” I didn’t understand how it could do it better than our old planner, but it somehow worked, so he’s the man for the job.

“Err… thank you, Pro-… Joseph,” he blinked at the folder in his hands.

“VERY good!,”  I laughed and knocked the table, “Then, until next time. Ten minutes til class, right? Thanks for the coffee!” I waved and walked off.