That afternoon in advanced experimental design, Leland couldn’t stop thinking about Rhoda’s comment, her very direct way of letting him know she thought he was clueless about relationships. That maybe something was missing in him. He’d been judged and found wanting.
He was still in his office, busy at his laptop, when Rhoda popped in after her psych class. She settled herself in her rocker and started to grade a bunch of quizzes with a marking pen and Leland’s answer key. They worked in silence mostly until she looked up and asked him about one of the answers. When she finished, she brought the stack of quizzes up to his desk. She had the annoying habit of walking behind him and peering over his shoulder while he typed.
“Are you f*****g serious?”
“Yes. I’m…what you said. Very serious.”
