by Saxon Andrew
Candice looked him in the eyes, “Do you; really?”
Jimmy nodded, “There was more than just one person there, Mom.”
Candice stared at him and her eyes flew wide open, “There was. Someone had to say it.”
Jimmy nodded, “Could they have slipped into your room unnoticed?”
“No.”
“Are you certain about that?”
“Yes,”
“How can you be so certain?”
Candice sighed softly and decided. She looked at Jimmy and said, “My father is James Livingston Cantrell.” Jimmy tilted his head and his eyes narrowed. Candice said, “Senator James Cantrell.”
“You have got to be kidding me!”
Candice shook her head, “No, I’m not. Our home was guarded to the point where no one could get in without being seen by the guards or the cameras in every hall way and outside every window.”
“You checked the cameras.”
“Of course. Nothing showed up on them. I opened the door one time but then closed it. No one was near the door.”
“Could it have been one of the guards?”
“I knew all of them and none of them was named Ayet.”
“What happened?”
“My father had my name changed and kicked me out of the house calling me a trap and trash the whole time. He signed over my trust to me and put me on a flight to Europe and told me never darken his door again. My mother wanted me out before I could pack. I left for Zurich and was there when you were born.”
“I’m so sorry, Mom.”
“I found out later that he had a mock funeral for me and said that I died of a drug overdose. He and my mother were the only ones present.”
“You’ve never tried to contact him?”
“Jimmy, I pleaded with him to believe me that I had no physical relations with anyone. I cried, I went into hysterics and he almost had me committed to an insane asylum. I learned quickly that I should keep my mouth shut.”
Jimmy nodded and shrugged, “He probably thinks you and I are dead now.”
“What?”
“We were listed as the tenants in the building destroyed during the Tegel crash. I suspect the odds of them finding we registered at the Marriott that night is remote. You paid in cash and didn’t use a credit card.” Candice had a huge smile and Jimmy said, “What?”
“I’ve had a constant fear that he might find us here and do something to…remove us as an issue.”
“Would he do that?”
“And not give it a second thought. He won’t allow anything to tarnish his image and cause him political embarrassment.”
“I’ve always wondered what the letter ‘A’ stood for in my name. Why did you do it?”
Candice sighed, “I don’t know. I felt that whoever it was…was a gentle being. I did not have any fear or worry as he held me. I felt you should have your father’s name. I also named you after my grandfather who loved me dearly. He left the trust for me against my parents’ wishes.”
“Did Tom believe you?”
Candice’s eyes went wide for a moment and then she nodded, “I made a troth that I was telling the truth. He has no idea about what happened either.”
“Mom, you know I was born with an ability no one else on Earth possesses.”
“Are you suggesting he wasn’t human?”
“I’m not suggesting anything. But I have a talent that no one else has. That is a fact. Where did it come from, Mom?”
“It had to come from him, Jimmy.”
Jimmy was silent and after several minutes passed, Candice said, “Please, tell me what you’re thinking.”
“If I didn’t have my dreams, no one would know what is coming and mankind would disappear from the universe. Perhaps…perhaps, this gift was given to possibly save us.” Candice stared at Jimmy and he shrugged, “If he was as gentle as you felt, he did it when he shouldn’t have.” Candice stared at him in silence and Jimmy said softly, “I’ll probably never know him but I must say that I am proud to have him as my father.”
Candice wrapped her arms around his neck and wept for the last time about what had happened in her room. This was the only time her tears were not in sorrow.
Chapter Six
Jimmy looked at the Dean and saw his discomfort, “Mr. Caspari, I am not accustomed to students dictating what their academic courses will be.”
“I can always withdraw my request and go to Cal Poly and see if they’re willing to work with me.”
“But Mr. Caspari, skipping all your freshman and sophomore classes is not something we can allow.”
Jimmy leaned forward in his chair, “Why don’t we do this. I’ll take the final exam for all of those classes and if I make less than an A, I’ll take the course.” The Dean stared at him in silence and Jimmy stood up, “It’s been nice conversing with you. Please, withdraw my application to attend school here.”
“WAIT!” Jimmy sat down and titled his head. “I’ll allow you to take the finals.”
Jimmy smiled, “Just to be sure we’re on the same sheet of music, those finals will have correct answers that can be compared to what I put down.”
The Dean’s head went back, “Are you insinuating that I will not grade them fairly?”
“Not at all, I’m concerned about the professors who wouldn’t like the idea that someone could pass without attending their classes. Any question that requires a written explanation could be judged as not meeting the professor’s criteria. If the professor provides that criteria in advance, there will be no issues.” The Dean was silent again and Jimmy smiled, “Or do some of the finals given here not have a correct answer for the questions on them?”
The Dean leaned forward in his chair, “And if you determine you were treated fairly, you will stay here?”
“I will.”
“You must realize that you will only be given the same time to complete each final that our other students are given when they take them.”
“I do.”
“And how do you want to do this?”
“Bring them all in and grade them as I complete them. I’ll start with the first final and move right into the next one.”
“Do you intend to take them all in one sitting? That would be foolish.”
“I agree. I’ll take the freshman exams the first day and the sophomore exams the next.”
“Why are you doing this, Mr. Caspari?”
“Sir, I have a lot to learn and I don’t want to waste any time on things that don’t challenge me.”
The Dean had a small smile when he said, “Be back here in two days and you can start.”
Jimmy stood up, “Thank you, Sir. I really appreciate it.”
• • •
Jimmy arrived in the Dean’s office at 8 AM and was escorted into his office. He immediately noticed the girl that was in his dream at the building. She was even prettier than he remembered. “Mr. Caspari, this is my student assistant and she will be grading your tests and informing you of the outcome after you complete the final you’re currently working on,” the Dean said. “Do you have any questions?”
“Would it be alright to start with the liberal arts finals first and move to the math and science finals afterwards?”
The Dean looked at his assistant and she nodded. “That would be fine. I’ll leave you in her capable hands and I want to thank you for your decision to attend our fine University.”
The Dean stood up and left the room. Jimmy wondered why he never had a dream about this. The co-ed looked at him and said, “Are you ready!”
Jimmy held up his hands, “Whoa, what’s put a burr under your saddle?”
“You’re making a mockery of my school and I don’t appreciate it.”
“Before we start, what is your name?” Jimmy asked.
“Summer. You don’t need a last name.”
“Is what the Dean said true?”
“What is that?”
That you can be impartial in your grading and not
allow your disgust of me to color your grading of my work.”
“You do disgust me! But I am a professional and I don’t allow personal feelings to interfere with what I’m doing.”
“That’s fair.”
Summer handed him the freshman English final and held up a stop watch, “You’ll have three hours to complete the exam. You will not be allowed to use any materials but those provided by the University. If you need a break, I will go with you.”
Jimmy said, “I want to save you some embarrassment.” Jimmy took off his watch and handed it to her. He took off his shirt and put it on a chair next to him. He pulled his pockets out of his pants and showed they were empty. Summer picked up the shirt and checked it carefully. She tossed it to him and said, “Put it back on.” Jimmy put his shirt on and buttoned it. He looked at her and she pressed the stop watch, “Begin!”
Jimmy broke the seal on the exam and read the complete test before he lifted a pencil. Summer sat down and watched him closely. It took only two minutes to completely read and then he went back to the first page and started writing. An hour later, he closed the exam and handed it to her.
Summer was surprised by his speed in finishing it and she took the exam and put it on the table across from him. She handed him the World History final and raised the stop watch, “You have three hours. Begin!” Jimmy didn’t read through the exam but began writing as soon as he broke the seal. Summer took his English final and began grading it. She was halfway through before she noticed that he had not missed a single question. Even the discussion questions contained all the points the professor said were important. She finished grading it in forty minutes and had no choice but to put an A+ on it.
She put the test aside and stared at Jimmy. He was obnoxious but he surprised her. His writing style was succinct and well organized. After two hours and ten minutes, Jimmy closed the booklet. Summer said, “On the English final you made an A plus.” The next test is American History. You have four hours. Begin!”
Jimmy went right to writing and Summer began grading the World History final. She was only a third of the way through it when she realized that this student was more enlightened than the professor teaching the class. His answers were clearer and more in depth than the Professor required. She finished grading it and tried to find something wrong and failed. She suddenly realized she was allowing her feelings of disgust to affect her. She put an A+ on it and sat back. Jimmy finished the test in an hour and a half and she said, “You made an A plus on the World History final. Your next final will be Art Appreciation.”
Jimmy’s head went back, “You have to be kidding me. That is a required course here?”
Summer smiled, “No, it’s an elective. It was chosen at random among the elective courses.”
“Could I not have chosen the elective I would select.”
“I didn’t make the rules; I just enforce them. If you have an issue, take it up with the Dean,” Summer replied.
“How long do I have?”
“This test is made up of artworks from the Masters and has photographic images. You will have two and a half hours to complete the test.” She held up the stop watch and pressed it, “Begin!
Summer began grading the American History final and before she finished, Jimmy closed the test and pushed it over to her. Her eyes narrowed and he shrugged, “I’ve actually seen most of them when I lived in Europe. It was easier than I thought.” Summer stared at him and Jimmy said, “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” She answered sharply.
“I know you don’t like what I’m doing here and I know it has to really upset you that I’m doing so well. I’m just sorry that you must be the one that has to do it. I should take a break and that should allow you to finish grading that exam.”
“Go ahead.”
Jimmy stood up and walked out of the room. She finished the grading the test and put another A+ on it. She picked up the Art Appreciation test and put the master over it. His answers appeared under the correct answers and it only took ten minutes to finish it. Jimmy came back in and Summer said, “You made an A plus in American history and an A in Art Appreciation.”
Jimmy shrugged, “There were three I didn’t recognize.”
“And you missed them. If you had attended class, you would have gotten them correct.”
“Why is that?”
“Because they were paintings the Professor did.”
“I thought this was art of the Masters.”
“Like I said, you would have gotten them correct if you were in class. It was the professor’s way of giving away three free on the test. The paintings are hanging in his classroom.”
Jimmy smiled, “I think it’s worth it to miss three questions rather than spend ten weeks with those paintings.”
Summer smiled, “We’re now going to start the science and math finals. The first final is Calculus and Analytic Geometry. On this test, you may take as long as you want. Scratch paper will be provided and you will turn them in with the test. Summer held up the stop watch and said, “Begin.”
Summer remembered taking this final and shook her head slightly. It took her six hours to complete it and she barely made an A minus. Fifty-minutes later, Jimmy passed the test and his scratch paper across the table. “You cannot tell me you’ve completed it!”
Jimmy shrugged, “Ok, I won’t tell you. What’s next?”
Summer took the next final and said, “Chemistry I. You have four hours; begin. Summer took the math final and put the answer sheet over the test. She started checking it and after fifteen minutes, she looked up.
Jimmy finished the Chemistry final in an hour and Summer said with absolutely no tone in her voice, “You made an A plus on the math final. The next test is Psychology I.”
Jimmy interrupted her, “Psychology is a science?”
Summer nodded, “It is here. You have three hours, begin.”
Summer started checking the Chemistry final and stopped halfway through and marked an A+ on it. Jimmy passed the psychology test to her and she took the answer grid and put it over Jimmy’s answers. She finished grading it and Jimmy said, “Uhhh, weren’t you supposed to give me a test to take while you graded that test?”
Summer tossed the test on top of the others and said, “I’m done!” She picked up the tests Jimmy completed and left the room. She slammed them down on the Dean’s secretary’s desk and walked out. Jimmy was left wondering what he had done. He remained in the room and forty minutes later the Dean arrived and said, “Mr. Caspari, you will be allowed to start your education taking advanced courses in your choice of disciplines. Please take the student handbook and select those you wish to take this semester.”
Jimmy stared at him in silence and finally said, “What did I do?”
The Dean stared at him and shook his head, “Nothing that you weren’t capable of doing, Mr. Caspari. Good luck with your studies and I hope to see you create many advances in science while you are here.”
The Dean walked out leaving Jimmy to wonder what had happened. He finally gave up and picked up the student handbook. He was deep into it when the janitor told him to pick his things up and leave. He looked out of the window and saw it was dark. He left the room with the student handbook in his left hand and stepped out of the administration building. He had checked into a hotel thinking he would be taking exams for two days. The dorms would be open next week but tonight it was going to be another hotel.
He started walking toward the street and heard someone crying. He ran around the corner of a bush and saw two men holding someone down. Jimmy rushed up and saw it was Summer. The one’s holding her were clearly not students. Jimmy didn’t give them the opportunity to even back off. He went in and delivered a crushing kite to the ribs of one man and kicked the other one off Summer into the large bush. He jerked the man up by the front of his shirt and drew back his arm. Summer yelled, “DON’T KILL HIM!” Jimmy looked at him and she said, “He’s not worth it.”
The man stare
d at Jimmy with dazed eyes and Jimmy dropped him. The other man was holding his ribs and trying unsuccessfully to stand up. Jimmy went to Summer and helped her to stand. She shook her head, “I’m alright. They just grabbed me a moment before you arrived.”
“What are you doing out here this late?” Jimmy asked her shaking his head.
“I waited for you to come out to apologize for my behavior.”
“You don’t owe me an apology.”
“Yes, I do. I lost it in there and you did nothing to cause my hateful words and actions.”
“Where are you staying, Summer?”
“I have a room in the dorm. The faculty gave me a key to help them prepare for the arrival of the students. I had to tell you that I was wrong to act like I did.”
“I’ll walk with you.”
The two men were moaning loudly and Summer shook her head, “What did you do to them?”
“I’ve been studying martial arts since I was eight years old.”
Summer snorted and shook her head, “Is there anything you can’t do?”
Jimmy looked at her and lifted his left shoulder, “Impressing you is pretty much out of my reach.”
Summer looked at him staring at the ground and remained silent until they arrived at the dorm. Summer unlocked the door and stepped inside. Jimmy turned to go and Summer opened the door and said, “You’ve impressed me. You taught me humility today and I don’t think anyone else on the planet could have pulled that off. You are quite impressive, James.”
She disappeared behind the door and Jimmy stared at it. He shook his head. He had hurt her ego and that was not what he intended at all. He turned and walked away.
Summer watched him from behind the one-way glass and saw she had hurt him. She wanted to tell him that’s not what she was saying but she couldn’t let go of her ego to do it. She sighed and turned down the hall. She got in bed and thought about what had happened. She replayed it in her mind and wondered, “Who are you, James Caspari?”
• • •
Jimmy sat on the steps in front of his dream building on a beautiful Saturday morning and watched students and tourists pass by. Saturday and Sunday were the only free days he had and he always came here, weather permitting. He was asked to move several times by tourists wanting to take a picture of the building and he gladly obliged. He started classes and labs two weeks before and he thought about the second confrontation with the Dean. He wanted to take a double load of classes and the Dean rebelled. Jimmy knew he was more concerned about his health and he couldn’t force himself to be obstinate or heavy handed with the Dean. Finally, he said to the Dean, “I will report to the campus nurse once a week and have her check me out. If my health is bad, I’ll start dropping classes until it isn’t.” The Dean started to speak and Jimmy interrupted, “If I drop below an A average in any class, I will immediately drop out of it.”
