by Cherry Kay
She didn't know why, but she'd expected to come to the S States as a small fish in big waters swimming out to sea. Instead, she had found that she'd simply landed in another pond and was still a big fish, an exceptional woman no matter where she found herself. Chances like these, to get ahead and go deeper, were opportunities she craved in order to remain challenged and to go further.
Professor Malloy sat back in his chair and looked at this freshman that wasn't afraid of hard work. He had already noticed that she was a beautiful young woman, but he could see now that the determination she had shown in class was a reflection of her desire to learn, and it amplified her natural confidence. Here, alone with him, she seemed a little more shy and reserved, but that eager look on her face remained in place and she slid a paper across the desk to him with anticipation.
"I know that the assignment isn't due until next week, but I thought I'd take the opportunity to discuss it with you here, so that I have time to work on it before the next class. If that's alright, of course. I don't want to seem to be cheating. We can discuss the topic more generally if you prefer."
Jason smiled at her diligence. "Not at all,” he told her. "I'd love to discuss it with you. I certainly don't view that as cheating. All of your classmates had the exact same opportunity to be here with me tonight as you did, and I find that a second pair of eyes always helps us to see things in a new light. Let me take a look at this."
The young professor took a few minutes to read through Amara's essay and as he did, it soon became clear to him that he was not dealing with another young elite trying to follow in Mommy and Daddy's footsteps or just trying to get rich. This wasn't a girl with a superficial understanding of the hard facts of the law. No. This young woman's assignment was written with intelligence and maturity and sensitivity to the human collateral of the case.
"You've navigated the complexities of joint custody with great insight." Jason commented honestly. "And it's interesting to see your assessment of paternal rights. You have chosen some excellent cases to justify your points, too, but I wouldn't expect to see an essay with this kind of balanced view and referencing until well into your junior year. Have you studied law before? Before you came to America, perhaps?"
Amara laughed at the assumption and shook her head, but secretly she was thrilled that he had noticed her ability. She had struggled for recognition her whole life. Whenever she had handed an essay in to her mother in the past, she would receive a template of praise from a woman who, unfortunately, didn't understand Amara's pursuits well enough to recognize impressive work, and her father... Well, Amara was sure that he knew how talented she was, but he chose to ignore it in favor of the traditional role he wished his daughter to play.
The teachers too, had seemed disinterested in writings on a topic that the school did not offer. Amara felt she had been waiting her whole life for someone to look at her and see an intelligent mind rather than just a simple woman, or an attention seeker, or any number of other things that people always seemed to see when they looked at her other than the sincere intellectual that she was.
"I've always loved the idea of law." Amara told her professor with passion for her cause evident in her voice. "It seems that everywhere I look there are miscarriages of justice and as a young girl, you feel so powerless against all the evils in the world. The law is a weapon that anyone can use to protect and repair a broken world, and make it a better place for others now and in the future."
Jason smiled. The way she spoke reminded him of himself when he had been her age, which, in truth, wasn't all that long ago. Most people saw the law as a rigid and inflexible thing, full of bias and fault, but people like he and Amara saw the beauty in it and the evolution of it, and the way that the legal system could make a bad world good with the right people driving it.
"It's refreshing to see a young person who sees the value of the law beyond its ability to provide a lucrative career. It shows in your essay and it shows when you speak. I must say I'm glad that we managed to have this time today. I would have been very disappointed if your ability had gone unnoticed in my class.
When I see this kind of intuition for the law in a student, I like to nurture it. I want you to know that my door is always open for you, Amara. I don't want you to get bored in my classes." He held up her essay pointedly. "You're clearly very advanced."
Amara's cheeks flushed warmly again. "I was sure that you would have so much to criticize,” she confessed. "I wasn't sure I had threaded the pieces together quite well enough. I thought perhaps I lost the train of the argument somewhat."
"Well perhaps the formatting of the essay could be improved with some streamlining. But the content is exceptional and we can work on the rest. I don't expect anybody to be able to write an essay without fault on their first try, but I must say that this is the closest I have ever seen anybody come to doing it."
Jason was beginning to enjoy the sight of Amara's humble smiles. The only thing that could spoil a lawyer with potential was a lawyer with an ego. The humility of this girl, who clearly had a brilliant mind, told Jason that she had not only the skill, but also the temperament to make a difference and that was something he definitely wanted to encourage. Unfortunately, the soft-hearted, gentle creatures of this world rarely get to make waves because they are all good intentions, but no bite. Jason's job, when he came across a timid but talented girl such as Amara, with a desire to change the world as she had, was to teach her how to take that skill and those good intentions. And translate them into something solid and durable to enable them to one day become law.
*
He was still thinking about her long after their discussion had ended while on his way home. The young professor had decided to teach, rather than work in, law himself because he wanted to pass down his love of law and his love of ethics to younger generations for years to come. Like one stone making countless ripples of change.
As he came around the corner in view of his house, he saw that his neighbor, Mr. Finchley, was out in his yard, trimmers in hand, old cap pulled low over his eyes as he worked away at his ever-growing flora and fauna.
"Mr. Finchley!" Jason called out. "How are you tonight, Sir?"
They had conversations over their fences almost daily, and as Mr. Finchley lived alone and his children were far from him, Jason considered it a duty, an honor, and a privilege to stop and talk with the old man every time he got the chance.
Mr. Finchley had been a judge a thousand years ago, and he loved to read the newspaper every day and hear the courthouse gossip about the latest trials. He also loved to talk shop with Jason about his classes when Jason passed his fence, and once a semester, Jason would have Mr. Finchley come and guest lecture in his class.
"I'm finer than a frog hair split three ways tonight!" Mr. Finchley announced, standing up and throwing his old shoulders back to give them a rest and draw in a deep breath. "Did you see that verdict in the paper this morning?" he asked Jason, pushing his cap back on his head and wiping his brow with a handkerchief pulled from his back pocket.
Jason had known this would be on their agenda of topics the moment he'd seen the newspaper’s headline in the department lounge that morning. Mr. Finchley might be ancient, but he was as sharp as a tack, and nothing got by his keen eyes.
"I did, Sir. You were right all along, that fellow was found guilty and he's not going to see the light of day for a long time. I don't know how you do it, Mr. Finchley. Everyone was sure he was innocent and going to get off scott-free."
Mr. Finchley nodded and smiled, his old blue eyes twinkling. "Well, money may buy a lot of things, but it doesn't often by favors in the courtroom when the environment is at stake. I don't care what the Republicans say, the Earth is a finite resource, and anyone who is paying any attention at all is going to see that. That fool had no business knowingly running a business that was going to do that much damage to the planet and the animals who live in that area."
He reached out and touched one of the long
branches of the beautiful tree he was trimming. "We can't live without a healthy planet, and that's just simple basic ecology." He was silent a moment and then he sighed, and a smile returned to his face as he looked over at Jason. "New semester today?" he asked brightly.
"Yes, Sir, all new mushrooms to teach. I have a full class this semester." Jason grinned at his inquisitive neighbor.
"Any of them look like potential stars?" he asked, with high hopes. He always said that there was at least one in every class who could make a difference in the world if they only had the chance to do it.
Jason pursed his lip and nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, Sir, Mr. Finchley, do you know, I believe there is one this semester that might be right up there at the top. She is a bright girl. She is a foreign student from South Africa. She's already ahead of the class!"
Mr. Finchley tilted his head and a grin spread over his face. "Ahead? You just started the class!"
Jason nodded and pushed his hands into his pockets. "Yes, I did, and she's already looking for more time tutoring and help in getting ahead. She wrote a paper and showed it to me today. I'll share it with you, if she’ll let me. I think you would be impressed with her."
Mr. Finchley nodded and beamed. "I keep telling you, Jason, there's at least one in every class who could make a difference in the world if they only get the chance to do it. You keep on top of her, push her and make sure she reaches her potential. It's important to hold those little stars up so that they can make it and not be let down."
Jason nodded. "Yes, Mr. Finchley, I will make sure to do that."
"I know you will, son." Mr. Finchley grinned at him again and tipped his hat before lowering it over his eyes and bidding Jason goodnight.
Jason walked the last short bit of distance to his door, his mind returning to thoughts about his new class, and especially his new potential star student.
They say that those who cannot do, teach, but this was definitely not the case for Jason. Like Amara, he had once entered his freshman year miles ahead of his classmates. In fact, Jason had always been ahead. He had the kind of intelligence that dealt not only in facts and figures, but he was keenly comprehensive of human emotion. This made him a man of incredible potential and he had the drive to accomplish anything he set his mind to. He not only had the will to do good in the world, but the ability. It was a struggle for him, therefore, when the university requested that he stay on as a professor after he'd finished his PhD, rather than going out into the world a lawyer.
Jason had no shortage of offers for internships with many law firms all over the country. He was at the top of every class and he had interviewed very well, due to his easy and pleasant manner, but he was also sought-after because of his ability to hold up under pressure with calm and determination, making him a first choice candidate for every law firm looking to grow their talent pool.
However, as tempting as those positions had been, and as much as they would have put him in a much better position of authority in order to affect change, Jason had to confess to himself that he was a scholar and a teacher at heart. Long before offers of becoming a professor had reached him, Jason had been tutoring his fellow students and writing blogs about the finer points in the law.
He had been a ghost at the library that freshmen and seniors alike would come to for help with their studies. He was so friendly and approachable, that he had become something of an icon during his years as a student at the University of Colorado, as everybody knew how to find him and would regularly come to him for help.
Jason loved being that person. He loved seeing that moment when a person's eyes would light up with sudden understanding and he would feel a warm rush to know that he had put it there. He loved to help students break through when something seemed too tough to comprehend, and then later on, hearing about their exam results somewhere down the line and feeling pride for them. He dearly loved being a teacher.
That is why, despite his brilliance and the lucrative career that had undoubtedly awaited him out in the real word, Jason had decided that rather than living his life as an attorney and returning with years of experience to become a professor, he would accept the offer to teach upon graduation. He want to start teaching young, before life could ebb away at his passion for learning and for the law.
There had been times in the two years since Jason had been teaching, that he had wondered if he had made the right choice. He had second-guessed himself on occasion. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy when he heard about the mighty legal successes of his friends out in the real world, or thought of all that he could have accomplished as a lawyer.
But then, he would meet someone like Amara, who made all the sacrifice worth it, because she was receptive to his love for the law and eager to learn; like a sponge waiting to soak up all that Jason had to offer the world. It made him feel like he wasn't wasting his life when he was able to help a new student take a step closer to becoming someone remarkable.
Not that Amara wasn't already remarkable -- in their conversation before she left his office, the young woman had told him all about how she had come to the States from South Africa on her own to follow her dreams. She had to stand up to her father to make it happen and turn her back on the way things had been done in her family for generations.
Alongside this girl's intelligence and beauty was a courage that her professor had to admire. She had strength and ambition beyond her years and while she had listened to him with such gratitude for his attention to her work in their discussion that night, it was Jason who felt privileged to have discovered her talent and to be able to be the one to help her climb high.
At last, Jason arrived home, about a ten-minute stroll from the campus. He felt like he was leaving home when he first left university dorms, but he'd had to step away when he graduated and became a professor rather than a student. For him, home would always be the great big tables of the university library or the greens between departments or the Student Recreation Center, where Jason learned to climb, and first discovered a love for track.
Now, he lived alone in a big old Victorian house around the corner with his cat, Felix. Jason wanted a dog, but the landlord wouldn't allow it, so he had settled for a little ginger rescue cat who offered at least a little company when Jason went home at the end of the day. And, although he was rather an aloof creature, who was largely motivated by food, he still liked Jason, and Jason was glad to have him there. Sometimes, it seemed like they rescued each other.
Tonight was another night alone. When Jason had lived on campus, he had always been surrounded by noise and activity and the company of other students; it made the silence of his house seem overbearing and endless. So now, Jason would turn on some music to lift the silence, he would pull out a pile of papers and practice being a scholar alone, away from the campus, which had brought him to life.
Chapter2
Amara stared at the letter in her hands; she couldn't believe it. She had been notified that her visa had expired and had been denied renewal due to “insufficient evidence of intent to return to South Africa.” She had no idea what that meant. She thought back to her original applications, her interviews and all of the other hundreds of steps she had to take to get where she was and she couldn't figure out what she could have said or done to make anyone think that she was planning to stay illegally in the United States.
Being a lawyer in training, she knew she had to look at the facts and keep her wits about her. She knew she had to focus on a solution, and because of that, she didn't lose her head at first. Amara had already called everyone she was supposed to call and signed everything she was supposed to sign, but she was ultimately told that her questions would only be answered when she had returned to South Africa, at which point, she could reapply.
Her world fell apart in that moment. College placements didn’t last forever and Amara had fought so hard to get there. She knew also that if she returned home, there was little or no chance that she would find her way back to America. Sh
e called her parents, hoping that they could help her find a way out of it, or fight for her in her corner from South Africa, where it seemed that all the answers were concealed from her.
When she called, Amara’s father answered the phone. Jeremiah Botha was a stern and traditional man who thought the best way to love his daughter was by keeping her close to her mother and sisters in every way possible. He thought her best possible options for a good life would be to replicate the lives of the women in their family. He was not a cruel man, but Amara thought that he was close-minded in a way that verged on cruelty, at least in the eyes of a young girl with high aspirations. Amara had always tried to tell herself that her father was from another generation and wasn't trying to be unkind in the orders he placed upon her, but when she heard what he had to say that day, she wasn't quite sure that she could bring herself to forgive him this time.
"Amara." Jeremiah said when he recognized Amara's voice. "Why are you calling here now? It is not Thursday. Is everything alright? Did something happen?"
Amara had broken their regular schedule by calling on a Saturday night, and she could hear the impatience and worry in her father's voice to be speaking to her now.
"I need your help, Pa." Amara told him tearfully. "They won't renew my visa. The government here says that I cannot prove that I will return to South Africa. I don't know what I did wrong."
There was a long pause on the other end of the line, before Jeremiah told Amara his cold confession. "They called us." He revealed. "We were interviewed about your visa. I told them that my daughter did not want to marry a South African man and was trying to find an American to marry. I said that my daughter thinks she is above the traditions of her family and will likely never return to her home, her family, and her country."
Amara felt her blood run cold and her stomach felt as heavy as a stone. She knew her father had disagreed with her decision to come to America and to study in the States rather than settle down in South Africa. She knew his hopes were that she would marry whomever he choose but these hopes had been dashed when she had left. Yes, Amara knew that her father was angry with her, but she had never thought he would try to rip her dreams from her because he was so adamant she live her life according to his edict. It was just like her father to speak his mind, but to say those kinds of things to immigration agents just defied belief.
