Perky, pert and pig-tailed, Emily Scharf is on the prowl. She spies Roderick in the Dining Hall, circles twice and lands in the seat to his immediate right.
"Um, I know this might seem a little awkward" she coos, "but I've been watching you and..well, I just think you're really hot and is it OK if I sit here?"
Roderick, midway through a drink of milk, keeps drinking. Megan, sitting on the other side of Roderick, leans forward. "I'm Megan and I'm his girlfriend."
Anna, sitting across from Roderick, looks puzzled. She nudges Molly seated to her right and whispers "Megan and Roderick? They are together? But I thought you..."
Molly just smiles.
Emily continues. "So, um, I was wondering if you would be my date at the Bach Chorale meeting tonight and afterwards maybe...you know..."
Roderick swallows. "Um...OK."
Emily is thrilled. "Ooooh...I could just kiss you!"
"Be careful," whispers Roderick, gesturing to Megan. "She's packing."
Emily departs just as a young man arrives at the table. "Excuse me, may I join you?" There is no objection, and he does so.
"My name's Albert, I'm studying painting."
There are introductions all around: Roderick...Megan...Anna...Molly.
"You're Venus, aren't you?" says Albert to Molly. "From Human Figure class?"
Molly nods. Albert rummages through his backpack, emerges with a sketchpad and leafs through it to a quite detailed drawing of Molly, nude, which he passes around for all to admire.
"You have a lovely figure" he says to Molly.
"Thank you."
"And perfect breasts."
"Thank you."
Roderick examines the drawing. "Very nice work" he comments, passing it to Megan.
On the way to Rhetoric class Megan whispers to Molly "I think he was hitting on you."
Molly shrugs. "They all do." She nudges Roderick and squeezes his arm.
Later that day, Roderick drops by the office of Mr. Strnk, who is again absent. Curious. The English department secretary sits nearby; he inquires.
"Have you seen Mr. Strnk?"
"No", she responds
"Is he on sabbatical or something?"
"No, I don't think so."
"Do you know when he'll be in his office?"
"No, you just have to keep trying."
At six forty-five, Roderick knocks on Emily's door. She opens, wearing a very low cut black long-sleeved sweater that shows ample boob. "Oh!" she says, "I've been thinking about this all day!"
Emily clings to Roderick's arm all the way to the Auditorium. On arrival, she pulls Roderick by the hand to the stage where members of the Chorale mill about, chatting. "Look everyone!" she announces. "I found a man!"
The members of the Chorale crowd around Roderick, greeting him. One of the sopranos wraps her arm around Roderick's neck and kisses him on the cheek, wetly. "Back off, Betsy!" Emily hisses. "I found him!"
Betsy, a tall brunette, shrugs. "Possession is nine-tenths of the law!" she says winking at Roderick. "Call me!" she whispers.
Mr. Mendelssohn greets Roderick effusively. "Welcome, young man, welcome. How much experience do you have singing bass?"
Roderick plays the clarinet rather well, but has never sung in his life. "I know how to read bass clef."
"Perfect!" beams Mr Mendelssohn. "You can join Zack and Fred over there. OK everyone! Sunday is the seventh Sunday of Trinity, so we will do Wer sich selbst erhöhet, der soll erniedriget werden...everyone have the music?"
After the rehearsal, Roderick walks Emily back to her room. "Won't you come in..?" she coos.
Roderick shakes his head. "Not tonight. I have some syllogisms to work on."
Emily squeezes herself. God, she thinks. He sings, and he knows logic.
"Okay", she says, touching him lightly. "I'm here when you're ready."
Later, Roderick curls up in bed with Molly. "How was the Chorale?" she whispers.
"It was OK".
"I think that girl Emily likes you."
Roderick smiles and squeezes Molly. "And Albert likes you."
"He just wants to draw me."
"You'd be surprised."
Molly squeezes Roderick's arm. It doesn't matter what others say and do. Roderick and Molly are together.
