It was Monday and the professor was having lunch with some of the guys at the Korean restaurant close to school. They could walk there and get back for class, no problem.

“I’m telling you it was.”

“Ah, Professor, those glasses need to be checked?” Jack grinned and took a pull on his beer.

“This big,” the professor pulled his very long arms out to demonstrate.

“Bullshit,” the Irishman said. “Those fish don’t even get up in these waters. I think they’re in Australia.” He stabbed some kimchi with his chop sticks.

“The only bullshit around here is that phony Irish accent of yours,” big Al from Chicago replied.

“It ain’t phony,” the Irishman answered. “It’s the real thing. Ask any of the gorls.”

“Speaking of which,” Al speared some noodles, “what happened to your fat girlfriend?”

“Got rid of fat number one and got fat number two,” Irish replied. “Fat girls are always very . . ..”

“Eager?”

“Ready?”

“Willing?”

“Grateful,” Irish said, “and,” he rolled his eyes, “appreciative.” The men all laughed.

“How’s that going with you?” Jack asked the professor with his eyebrows raised.

“I told you not to bring that up,” his boss replied in a low growl.

“Oh, sorry.” Jack flushed pink and took a big swig of beer.

“Anyway,” the professor continued with his fish story, “going out next weekend, anybody wants to go.”

The others shifted uncomfortably and glanced at each other.

“Don’t know, boss, lesson plans, you know.”

“Birthday party.”

“Korean lessons.”

“Whatever.” Robert finished his coke. He didn’t usually drink liquor at lunch. Made him sleepy and off the mark when he got back to the office.

“Time.” The professor tapped on the face of his watch with a finger.

The teachers all hurriedly called to the waitress and settled their bills. They trouped after the boss back to campus.

“Jack, get me those names for the mid-term evaluations. It’s next week.”

“Right, Professor. I’ll get those right over.” Jack turned to go.

The professor grabbed him by the arm.

“And don’t bring up her name again,” he looked tight-lipped at Jack.

“Sure, Professor. My mistake.” A little bead of sweat was on Jack’s upper lip.

Robert let go of his arm and nodded. He turned and went back into the admin building and up the stairs.

I got to use the bathroom, Jack thought to himself.

Upstairs, the Professor stopped at the secretary’s desk and picked up messages. For a Monday it was quiet.

He returned to his office, shut the door and locked it. Sitting at his desk, he opened the middle drawer and pulled out a small phone. He could see there were messages he hadn’t read yet.

He read the messages and smiled. Dialing out, a woman answered on the second ring.

“Hi, it’s me.” The professor lowered his voice.

********

“Yeah, missed you too. You know, stupid birthday parties, work reports. Usual.”

**********

“Yeah, this week. Maybe Thursday. I’ll have the car. No, I’ll drive by the gym. Usual place.”

*********

“I don’t care about your damn hair. Just be ready.”

*********

“No, I do love you. Do not come over here. We talked about that.”

*********

“Maybe I’ll stop by the bookstore just to say hi.”

*********

“If I don’t, will see you on Thursday. Okay, ‘till then.”

*********

He disconnected and then stared at the phone a minute. A smile played on his lips as he thought about her. There really was nothing like a girl in her twenties.

Carefully, he put the phone away and closed the drawer. Getting up he went and unlocked the door. Leaning out, he checked to see if there was anyone in the hall. Just some students. He let out a little breath. Just making the phone calls was half the excitement.

                                                                        ###

Back home that evening the Professor told his wife about the staff meeting on Thursday.

“Yeah, these idiots need a lot of training,” he told her.

Shin looked at her husband uncertainly.

“Robert, Thursday is after-school night. Did you forget?”

He looked at her blankly.

“Well, shit. Why do they have to do it on some weird night like Thursday? Don’t they know people are busy. Why not do it on a Monday so it’s easier to remember. God.”

She flinched. “I told you last week about it.”

“Must have slipped my mind. Sorry, darling. I’ll see what I can do. I sent out the memo already. Maybe we can change it.”

She looked down at her paperwork and took a breath.

“Of course, do what you can. They would like you to be there.”

The professor cursed under his breath.

                                                                        ###

Robert told his wife he needed a walk and would take the dog. He got the leash and the fluffy white thing they called a canine and went down the stairs.

It was cold and windy outside, and he huddled inside his jacket. He walked as far as the little park down the street from the apartment. His cell was in his pocket. Alice’s number was not on the phone directory, but he knew it by heart.

“.  . . need you to get away on Wednesday instead.”

******

“Since when did you have a class on Wednesday? You didn’t tell me about that. Well, how about Friday?”

******

“What the fuck study group?” his voice was starting to rise.

********

“Yes, I know mid-terms are coming. You’re telling me that? Like I don’t know. This is bullshit, Alice. I’m not sure you have your priorities straight.”

*******

“No, don’t apologize. Just figure out who’s important in your life is all.”

********

“No, we’re done. Later.” He hung up the phone with a click. He yanked the dog’s leash and dragged him back to the apartment building.

                                                                        ###

That Sunday, Shin was at church with the girls and Robert was down at the marina again. He had gotten that new hook and stopped at the bait shop.

“Yoboseyo, Chin Shi.” He called out.

“Haseyo, Professor Shi,” the bait man replied. “Big fish today?”

Bob nodded. “Need lots of chum today.”

He was over at the refrigerator and pulled out two beers, water and a wrapped Asian roll. He had been in such a hurry to leave home; he had forgotten to stock up.

“Sure, sure.” The bait man, a fat, fifty-something guy with worn and dirty pants and shirt, hurried to fill the bucket.

Bob put down his money.

“Little cold today,” the bait man offered.

Bob yanked his thumb under the lapel of his heavy jacket.

“I’m good.”

“You get that fish today, Professor Shi?”

“Today,” Robert nodded. “Today.” He turned and clumped down to the wharf and threw everything into the skiff and jumped in after.

Sitting in the skiff, he started the engine and undid the rope coil to the dock.

“Today is the day for that little bastard.” He clenched his jaw.

Two hours later, the sun was up in the sky and the warmth was making him sleepy. His line was in the water, and he had caught one small fish. In disgust, he threw it back.

He had eaten the Asian roll and finished off both beers. Hat was tilted over his eyes; Robert was almost dozing off, leaning against the side of the boat as it gently rocked with the current.

There was a soft splash and then some saltwater hit him in the face. He jerked up.

“Hey, asshole.”

Robert yanked up straight and looked wildly around. Was someone trying to get on his boat? Where were they?

“Dickhead, you. Down here.”

He blinked his eyes and then, slowly, leaned over the edge of the boat.

“Jesus!” the man exclaimed.

The grouper was next to his boat, treading water. Robert grabbed his rod.

“Oh, forget that you idiot.”

The rod and reel dropped with a clang to the bottom of the boat. The professor’s eyes got big, and his mouth hung open.

Did that fish just talk to me? He rubbed his eyes with both hands and stared.

“Yes, I did.” The fish seemed to be answering him. “You’re just a real regular idiot, aren’t you? Isn’t that what your father used to call you? Idiot on stork legs?”

Robert’s mouth worked but nothing came out.

“Cat got your tongue, idiot?”

“How-how-how did you. . .?”

“I know a lot of things. A lot of things in general and really a lot of things about you in particular. Like, you’re a real regular asshole. Your wife hates you, your kids are terrified of you, your girlfriend . . . “

“What!” Robert’s head was spinning. A talking fish.

“Yeah. Talking fish. Pretty cool huh? Bet they don’t have that in the States, huh?”

The man sat down hard on the bench.

“What-what-what. . .?”

“What do I want? Well, hum.” The fish swam around a couple of times. “Let me think about that. Maybe I’m feeling generous, and I came to give you a heads up.”

“Heads up?”

“Yeah. Heads up on account of you’re a jerk, buddy. Big time.”

Robert stared at the fish, speechless.

Another squirt of water hit him in the face.

“Hey, wake up. I don’t got all day.”

“So . …?”

“People don’t like you, Professor. Do they? Cause you’re a mean jerk.”

Robert seemed to come to himself.

“No, no. Ah, ah. . .  I run a tight ship is all. A lot of people don’t like that. They have no discipline, no ethics, no moral code. They are used to getting something for nothing and doing nothing for it. I make people earn their money!” The man was starting to get indignant.

“Ah, bullshit. You’re a crap boss and you have all the employees tattling on each other and ratting each other out. All the time, Professor. All the time!”

“How would you know? You’re just a fish. I have built the department up from the ground floor. It was nothing when I got here. I have made something of the place. And the school has never been doing better.”

“You’re fooling yourself, asshole. They tolerate you because you get results. Regardless of the cost.”

“Of course, I get results. I am known for that.” Roberts’s chin went up.

“You’re known for being the biggest asshole around.”

“So, what?” He replied. “We’re getting our funding, and the students are making the grades.”

“And your employees are drinking themselves to death. Did you ever think about that, Professor? Hum? That little, tiny thought ever cross your pea brain?”

“What they drink or don’t drink is not my problem.” Robert was pulling in his line.

“Yeah, well, that’s one way of looking at it.”

“They are adults, they make their own choices,” Robert replied primly.

“I’m getting tired of talking to you, idiot,” the fish replied.

“I don’t know what you expect,” Robert told him.

There was a splash. “As long as you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.” The voice trailed away and with another slap of the tail against the water, the fish disappeared.

Robert stared at where the fish had been.

Am I losing my mind? He thought to himself. About to cast the line again, he decided against it and stowed his gear. Restarting the engine, he headed for shore. Looking back over his shoulder, he could see no sign of the fish.

I am not telling anyone about this, he promised himself, shaking his head. No one.

Continued Part III

                                                                        ###