| Happy Hunting, By Claude Rains | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Jul 17 2016, 05:23 PM (9 Views) | |
| Claude Rains | Jul 17 2016, 05:23 PM Post #1 |
![]() ![]()
|
James Emerson was sitting in his high backed wooden chair looking at his life’s work. The walls were covered with awards and grainy 35 mm pictures of bigfoot, giant squids and other photos of the unexplained. He was gazing into a photo of a younger version of himself and a woman happily pouring a plaster cast. Now, his face was worn, he only had a few strands of hair and his eyes hid behind thick glasses. He put the photo on the desk, picked up the cast of a print that was left behind many years ago and began to examine it, as he had many times before. -knock, knock- "Professor?" "Come in." In walked Mara, his protégé. She was usually all smiles and filled with constant wonder, but today she looked sullen. Her bright almond eyes were partially drawn to the floor. "I just heard. I’m so sorry Professor." "How long have you known me?" "Um, eight years, I think." "You can call me James now." The old man stood up and begun to pack his things. "There’s no place for discovery in this world anymore." The student was trying everything she could to hold back her shaky voice. "Where will you go?" "Don’t cry, my dear." As the professor was gently packing, he stopped for a minute, turned and smiled. "Do you remember this paper?" "Yes." Mara replied with a tearful laugh. "That was my first paper, it was about the Loveland sightings. I remember storming out of this very office, because you gave me a C." The old man chuckled. "Yes, the Loveland frogmen." "I thought you hated that paper?" "I did, but, after reading it a week later - I should’ve given you a B." He crossed out the C and with a big black maker he changed her grade, and handed her the paper. You were always my best student." A tear dropped on the paper. "Cheer up, my dear. Can you do me a favor?" The student wiped her face, nodded her head, “Of course, professor” "Can you run these books to the library? And please tell Anne I apologize for not returning them sooner." "Would you like me to bring you some coffee?" "How about some tea. I could use a good cup of tea." James watched as Mara walked out. He waited for a few seconds then put on his explorer vest and his old brown traveling hat. He gently touched the picture on his desk and walked out. The student returned about twenty minutes later. She was unaware that he had left. "Seriously Professor those books were four years overdue. Oh, Anne says you owe her din…" She knew he was gone. Mara put the cup of tea on his desk and picked up a letter. Dear Mara, I am going north to that patch of uncharted territory I had told you about. If bigfoot is really out there that is where I will find him. I want you to have my chair and desk, and ask Anne if she could store my archives for you. You are the brightest student I have ever had and I will never forget everything you have done for this crazy old man. If anyone can convince the department heads to keep us open, it is you. Happy hunting, Professor James Emerson Mara quietly dropped in the professor’s chair. She picked up the plaster cast, smiled and whispered, "good bye professor." |
| Profile |
Quote
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| « Previous Topic · Cryptic Minds · Next Topic » |





6:51 PM Jul 10