Publish and Perish, part 24: Confession Time

[Context: read the previous part or start at the beginning. TW: bad amateur fiction!]

Gerald exhaled forcefully and began a late-evening email.

To: cciplinski@conley.edu

Subject: coffee

Hi Cissy — I hope you enjoyed yesterday’s conversation as much as I did. While I’m intrigued by your idea of a campus global health center, I think that perhaps I should decline to be closely involved. It’s for a super-awkward reason that might make you uncomfortable, and if so I sincerely apologize. Basically, while I love the idea of working with you on this, I fear that that would be problematic because  — I don’t know how else to say this — I would like to ask you out (assuming that you’re “available,” but not knowing that). I’m terribly sorry if this interest is unwelcome and, if so, I won’t speak of it again. –Gerald

Gerald slept poorly, then got up early and made a few futile checks of his messages. Amidst his anguish, he took a bit of comfort in feeling that he had done the right thing, or at least a non-horrible thing. It wasn’t sexual harassment to politely ask once if it was someone from a different department, right?

He arrived at work. Still no response. Off to teach lab, where students would record and analyze electrocardiograms and discus symptoms of a “broken heart.” Very funny, God, thought Gerald. You see, crap like this is why I don’t believe in you.

After lab Cissy’s response was waiting in his inbox. He clenched his jaw; this was even worse than opening his end-of-semester student evaluations. OK, the moment of truth was here….

Gerald, I appreciate your message, I really do. I’m currently seeing someone, but if that changes someday I promise to let you know. 🙂 Given the present situation, I agree that it would be best to avoid extensive professional collaborations between us. Take care, C.

“Gaaaaaah!” was the sound that came out of Gerald mouth. It was loud enough that Herb Stevens, his ecology colleague from a neighboring office, came by to see if everything was OK.

“Geez, sorry to be so loud!” said Gerald with embarrassment. “It’s nothing, really — just another, uh, rejection letter. You know how it is.” He declined to elaborate further.

[Update: the story continues with part 25.]