It didn’t take long for me to have the opportunity to do what Professor Lewis asked of me. Phoebe came to the house one evening after the bakery closed for dinner with us, and Professor Lewis was the subject of after dinner conversation.
PHOEBE- I finally met that handsome Professor Lewis the other day! But I was either too forward, or he is just really anti-social. I think he was blowing me off.”
LUCILE- “You too forward, no way!” she said chuckling.
NACHA- “He is new in town, so he doesn’t know anyone, maybe he is just leery of meeting new people. Not everyone is as open as we are.”
LUCILE- “Oh surely he was friendly, I could not see him being rude, at least not being a professor. He certainly would have social manners. What did he say that made you feel he was being rude?”
PHOEBE- “I invited him for coffee and he first said it was too late for coffee it would keep him up and he needed to grade papers. I mean if he had to grade papers, maybe he would need some coffee, right? But then when I suggested a little dinner he said he was going to eat dinner soon, and he preferred tea instead of coffee, and then he just walked inside, left me stading out there talking to myself.”
LUCILE- “He was not being rude dear, I am sure he was just busy. You are a teacher, you know how it is.”
PHOEBE- “I suppose, as it certainly couldn’t have been me. I mean I am a young vivacious young woman and he is a handsome young man, I mean who wouldn’t be interested.”
NACHA- “He is quite handsome yes.”
MARCO- “Miss Phoebe, it isn’t you, it’s you are a woman.”
NACHA- “Marco, what are you saying, that is quite rude if you are making assumptions on Professor Lewis’s sexuality!”
MARCO- “Not making assumptions Mama, I met him the other day and he told me he was gay, and that Miss Phoebe was barking up the wrong tree.”
PHOEBE- “OH MY WATCHER!!! How embarrassing! I feel terrible now.”
MARCO- “I am sorry, Miss Phoebe, but you didn’t know. Now you do.”
PHOEBE- “I just don’t get it, all the good ones are either married or gay”
LUCILE- “Please, Phoebe, that line is really old. And not the case. There is a man out there for you, what about that young man that lives up in the woods?”
NACHA- “You mean Michael Bell??”
LUCILE- “No, that young boy, Jack is his name I think.”
MARCO- “Nope, he is gay too.”
PHOEBE- “SEE I TOLD YOU!!!!”
