“Thanks, but I’m going to be running soon,” said Patricia, feigning a shudder of her own. “I’m sure it’s delicious, but roasted peppers probably wouldn’t be the best thing for me to eat right now.”

“Suit yourself,” said Rosa, helping himself to a bite of the sandwich.

Patricia stretched her legs and arms straight out before her and folded her upper body forward until her head was a few inches over her knees. She took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled while she held the position.

“Tell me, why do you run, Patricia?” said Rosa, looking away to the track. “What is it that makes everyone want to go out there and run around in circles all day long?”

“It’s good for your body,” she answered, easing back. “Even better for your head. I like the track.You can go for miles and miles if you want and never have to worry about anything, about traffic or getting lost. And if you go far enough, you start to forget everything, whatever’s on your mind, all the things you’ve been worrying about. It’s really very relaxing in its own way.You should give it a try sometime.”

“Someday, perhaps,” he said with little enthusiasm.

Patricia smiled and bent forward again, this time sliding her hands down to her ankles and stretching out completely until her head rested on her knees. Holding there, her back and arms perfectly extended, she looked at him for a moment.

“Did that student I talked with ever get in touch with you?” she said after a time.

Rosa gave a grunt and swallowed the last of his sandwich. “Ah, Mister Quinn, I presume,” he said, flicking the crumbs from his fingers.

“That’s the one,” she said brightly, a twinkle in her eye as she raised herself back up.

“He accosted me outside my office just a little while ago. And he told me what you said about me and my voice mail.”

“Well, it is true, isn’t it?” she chided him. “It’s terrible, you know. You never check your messages. Or if you do, you almost never return the calls.”

Rosa gave a shrug, as if to say that it really made no difference.

“I really wish you had recommended him to someone else,” he groused.

“Why do you say that?” laughed Patricia. “I thought you enjoyed giving private Italian lessons. You always said it was a nice change of pace from teaching music all the time.”

“Yes, but for once in my life I was looking forward to having absolutely nothing to do for the summer. I’ve been feeling burnt out lately. I’m tired, and I need a rest. It’s been a long year.”

“Well, if that’s the case, you can always just say no.”

“That’s what I did.”

“Really?”