Still, despite the long, arduous hours, Carter went about his duties with as light a heart as any man walking. There was something about this line of employment that, for the time being at least, suited him just fine. Yes, the work was hard, the hours long, and the pay only middling, but at least he was toiling away outdoors in the open air beneath the brilliant sunshine. He was not confined in some cubicle, chained to a desk, staring at a computer monitor, a small cog in some corporate machine, never seeing any tangible result for his efforts other than a paycheck at the end of the week.Though some, like his friend Jimmy, might have looked upon his labors as ignoble and unbefitting one who had spent his formative years preparing for a more prestigious career, it was honest, straightforward work with rewards of its own. For one, Carter was an athlete and he liked being part of a team working toward a simple though not easily attained goal, in this case the construction of a two-story house. For another, there was, at the end of the day, no question about what he had been a part of or what had or had not been accomplished. The fruits of his labors and those of his bosses were there to be seen in plain view. It was an immensely satisfying feeling, and Carter reveled in it. Of primary importance to him, however, was that this job had the very great virtue of being one from which he could, with easy conscience, walk away in three months’ time.

And so it was that Carter had gone cheerfully about his duties that day, his thoughts inevitably drifting to Elena and his soon-to-come encounter with the Italian language.The call from Professor Rosa that previous Friday afternoon had left him in searingly good spirits, which carried him through the weekend and that first day on the job. Upon hearing the professor’s message on his answering machine, Carter had of course immediately called him back.When at last they spoke, Rosa had made it clear that he was not one to waste his time, and so he had made Carter a simple offer: They would meet at the professor’s home on Monday evening after work for a single lesson, a test of sorts. If things went well enough, they would make arrangements for the continuance of his studies. If not, then all bets were off. Rosa was, in effect, giving Carter one single chance. This proposal was more than acceptable to Carter, for a chance was the only thing he was asking for.