Oliver Hart

@profoliverhart

27 || English Language & Literature Professor || heir to Hartway...sorta There should probably be a "Professor" somewhere in there, right? Oh well, don't sweat it. I have to deal with a lot worse from those pesky freshmen.

69 posts

So many crucial events take place behind people’s backs, when they aren’t in a position to watch: birth and death, for instance.

Margret Atwood, Oryx and Crake

#and the temporary oblivion of sex #i chose to leave that part out #atticus #quotes

"No shame at all. I would, I’m sure, not know or understand a great many things if I had not left Lubec. And I do feel as though I was very fortunate to have spent time in England even if I didn’t see much beyond the four walls of my office." He chuckles remembering how he had been. "And now I’m getting a chance to love New York as well." But your heart will always yearn for that cottage, a voice says in his head. "So possible hara kari aside, do you feel ready for the insanity that is finals week?"

"I've never been out of the country, except maybe once to Canada, but I'm not really sure that counts. New York is my home, more so than any other place I've lived in." Only one other place, but New York was that fresh start, that rebirth he'd been talking about before. His shoulders rise in a shrug as he sips at his cooling coffee, seemingly growing more bitter on his tongue by the second. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be, which honestly, isn't very ready. I can safely say I am not looking forward to grading them."

#atticus #i am runnign out of relevant gifs and they will not load

"I don’t know might be kind of fun to see what would happen if you were in charge Oliver. How do you know it wouldn’t be incredible?" He sips his coffee quietly, thinking about the trip to Maine, home. "Just like Dorothy said ‘If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire I won’t go looking further than my own backyard.’

"Because I know myself, and trying to keep that many people would drive me crazy even if the school survived. Definitely not incredible." Personally, Oliver has to disagree with the statement, his first home had been horrible, a dump with lots of yelling that often more than not turned into more, but he just shrugs because he does think he understands what the other man means. "There's plenty to be found there, but there's no shame in looking farther."

"Really! Eighty?" His eyes get wide, imagining it. "It sounds fun, but scary as he..as anything." He leans forward looking at Oliver like he’s the cool kid in school and you have to listen well or you might just miss the best story. "Oh, yes. I need the money to be honest, but I have those first few weeks to have my own little adventure. Sorry it’s a bit of a habit. I’m don’t mean to be so formal. It’s just how I am, I guess. But I’ll endeavor to relax a bit."

"Richard was in that truckbed and said it felt like flying." A wistful expression crossed his face and his takes another sip of bitter coffee. "I might have to stop it, make sure all the affairs are in order. Luckily I for me I don't run the school. I have a feeling it would be quite the disaster if I did. Adventures are fun, and you can even have them in your own backyard, that's the beauty of it all."

"I wouldn’t think getting arrested was good at all. Also something I haven’t experienced. I watched Mr. Greeley get arrested for drunk and disorderly once when I was a little kid. It didn’t look fun." He drinks again to stop his rambling mostly. "I hope you have a great time whatever you decide. Are you teaching summer session, if I may ask?"

“Hmmm…well I don’t believe we’ve ever done anything quite that dramatic, he’s still underage. Not that’s really stopped much but…” He grins at a certain memory. “A couple weeks ago I drove my truck over the Brooklyn Bridge middle of the night during one of the low traffic times at eighty. He was standing in the back.” Maybe he shouldn’t have shared that, but it’s done, and it’s a pleasant memory. He shrugs, “Not at the moment, I’m not. But if they need another prof to hang around I will, it’s not like I have other places to be. Can I guess that you are? And really, Atticus, you can ask whatever you’d like without permission….okay, whatever you’d like within reason.”

"Mmhmm. I’m not likely to have that experience, but I see what you’re saying. A birth, the coming of new life would have a huge effect on those touched by it. Rebirth? Hmm…I’m going to have to think abou that. As I said I never experienced it or am I likely to." He sips thoughtfully smiling now that the hot liquid tingles sweetly on his tongue. "You know I should believe you in all things because I do feel more calm already." He wraps both hands around the mug and sinks a little further into his seat. "Are you two prone to unplanned adventures? It must be wonderful."

“You can’t experience everything, I guess. No shame in that. But new life, new chances, new directions, trust me it can be a rebirth.” He paused and leaned forward to reach for the crossword puzzle that was still a few inches out of reach. Too lazy to move farther, he slumped back in the chair. “You certainly should not believe all things I say, not any more than you believe your students…which actually might be a lot, but honestly, most of the stuff that spews from this mouth is only worth ignoring. Richard can tell you all about it if you ever ask.” He took a sip of his own hot beverage, black without milk or sugar, to stall for a little time. The bitterness almost numbed his mouth, but that’s why he took his coffee black, to remind himself of before. “I suppose you could say we are.” He said finally. “It’s wonderful just as long as you avoid getting arrested.” He laughed, “Not really, I mean the getting arrested part.”

Because it’s true. You have to be hella rich in order to be a good special effects artist.

Well, being rich just makes it extremely easier to pursue a career in it, I think.

Atticus chuckled. “I think I’ll choose to believe it’s your personal wisdom.” He sipped again wincing a bit at the bitterness. “Aren’t all births interesting? It seems sort of unfair that we can’t remember one of the most important moments in our lives, doesn’t it?” Cream and definitely sugar are needed. He sometimes wishes he didn’t have such a sweet tooth. He looks around and catches sight of the blessed white packets and grabs three. “Are you doing something this summer with him?” He looks up excited. The idea of siblings is fascinating to him.

“But others are tasked with the job of remembering. I suppose, if you want to see it that way, but personally I think there’s more influential things in life.” He wasn’t about to get into the whole technicality and science part of this, but all he knows is that his birth certainly hadn’t done anything magical for him or his parents. Part of being a mistake, he supposed. He can remember his brother’s birth though, a sort of new beginning for him and he mother as well, as if that was their rebirth too. “Sometimes it’s not just the person that’s being born’s birth, it can be the rebirth of others.” He said simply returning to his seat and putting his feet back up on the table. The crossword remained untouched as brown eyes settled thoughtfully on the other. “There isn’t anything planned at the moment, but they’ll be some sort of adventure, I imagine.”

"What makes you say that?"

#hartstart #bad starter numero....#i've lost count

It’s strange I feel sort of adrift between the two. I don’t feel like I fit in with the students, but I certainly don’t feel equal to the other professors. I guess it will come as a teach more and get comfortable in my own skin. Do you think that it helps you to feel more like a student or the opposite? [watches him prepare the coffee fascinated by the little cups that turn into steaming cups of coffee in the blink of the eye] Really? I’d never heard that, though it makes sense. In terms of survival warmth mean safety and survival. I always liked the cold, but I think that’s because I was born in a snowstorm. [takes the mug and cautiously sips at the bitter aromatic beverage] Mmmm..thank you. Are you excited to be done with finals, sir…I mean Oliver?

He can relate to not being able to fit in somewhere, back in his days of education among people who had normal families. But that didn't mean he didn't try --he tried extremely hard to fit in where he didn't, and somewhere along the lines it had paid off. He shrugged, moving back to the keurig to fetch his own mug from the platform (what was this, his fifth?).

"I can't tell you where I heard it, because I don't know, could have been a person, tv show, some book, movie...or I could have made it up. I don't know." He was okay with not knowing things. "Really? Sounds far less interesting than my birth." A lot of things sounded more interesting than him. His shoulders lift in another shrug. "Cream and sugar are somewhere if you need it. I guess I am, more for my brother's sake than mine."

#atticus #ignore le text

I know that you’re right of course, but it’s not particularly in my nature to be calm. Put me in the ocean or a snow storm and I’m calm but I can’t quite teach from there can I? Do you think so? Th..that the world turns better if you’re calm? Hmm..-his thinking face makes and appearance thinking on his words- You’re a pretty smart guy Professor Hart. Oh..oh umm thank you some coffee would hit the spot, actually.

[downs the rest of the coffee in his mug and puts it on the table] I certainly like to think so. Definitely the smartest. [dramatically slicks his hair back] Sometimes I think I'm still a student, though, so don't worry yourself about that. [tosses the paper and pencil on the table as well and stands to make his way over to the counter where he produces a couple keurig things and puts them in the machine] I hear hot things calm you down, or maybe that's just an old wives tale. I dunno, be even tales have to have some sort of truth in them, I think. [the machine finishes it's thing because those things are actually pretty fast, puts one in for himself, and he hands Atticus his mug]

That’s an assumption you really don’t have any evidence to support. -laughs- And they couldn’t really make you commit seppuku. You’re family. I’m sure it will be fine. Pre-show jitters, I’m guessing. Mid-terms went fine so…. -pushes aside foil wrapped pb&j and thunks head down on table- Ahhh! How do you always stay so calm?

Fair point. I think I actually got away with more things than I remember, definitely. [takes a sip of his coffee and shrugs] Calm, sureee, it's not that hard. Most people make mistakes when they're stressed and freaked out and angry and yadda yadda. The world turns better when you're calm. [looks up after he thoughtfully pencils in another word] Do you want some coffee? Or tea? I know where they hid the good stuff.

I never thought there would be something more stressful than taking finals. But apparently creating one and making sure all of my students are fully prepared to take it and succeed is. I had a dream last night that all my students failed the final and I had to commit harakari in front of the chancellor of the university. Woke me up out of a dead sleep.

[he's in the breakroom with his feet up on the table drinking a cup of coffee with a crossword puzzle in his lap and a pencil in one hand] The first final I made probably could have been qualified to be an actual piece of shit, I'm sure you can't do any worse than that.

#atticus #i almost replied on jaiden #then i went #oh wait #yea

caught-btwn-worlds

[sighs, looking over the books in her arms as well] Good, that’s good. Oh, you don’t have to. I’m just going to my room. I have a research paper due at the end of the month. I want to get it done.

Wise choice, if only I had been that keen. [laughs] Well, I suppose I'll be taking them just as far as your door, if you want the help that is?

#maia #help #90% of zq gifs are creepy as fuck

caught-btwn-worlds

[Kneels down to finish picking them up] I couldn’t find one. Oh…I hope none of them bent…

[ends up holding half the stack] Then I'll be your cart. [peers at the ones in his hands] They seem alright. Where are you off to?

It’s annoying. Nicolette sounds too… I don’t know but it doesn’t go with me. And half the time I don’t realize they’re talking to me so whyyyyy don’t other professors just call me Nikki? I get that it’s probably a respect thing, but if I ask to be called Nikki wouldn’t it be more respectful to just do what I ask?

It's a difficult road to navigate, that one. [shrugs]

Ugh, yes, exactly. You know what else I hate? When professors refuse to call you by any sort of nickname. Like, I don’t care what my full name is, no one uses it so neither should you.

Well some people refuse to call anyone by a shortened name regardless of age. But I can see you that could sound a bit pretentious.

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