Ahmed stood still, looking at Ben, and didn’t say anything.

“Please take that shit back to Tommy,” Ben said.

“No.”

“Trust me, it’s a bad idea.”

“Thank you for your advice.”

“Doesn’t it affect your squash, though? Doesn’t it make it harder to play well?”

Ahmed didn’t answer.

“Please, Ahmed, I really don’t want it in here.”

“I understand that you don’t want it in here. It will not be a part of your life in the room.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that if you stay in your parts of the room, you will have the situation that you want.”

“That is not a satisfying answer.”

“It is the answer you are getting.”

*  *  *

Ben found a slip in his PO box: it was time to schedule Spring Term advisor meetings. Markson held three consecutive evenings open and invited each advisee to his faculty apartment in Calder House.

Markson’s door was propped open, and when Ben came to the threshold and looked in, he saw Tyler Reichenbach sitting in one of the armchairs near the door and Markson facing him from the couch. Tyler looked up and Markson turned and then smiled and held up one finger.

When it was Ben’s turn to come in and sit down, he looked at the open door and heard other kids in the hall. He stood up again.

“Do you mind if I close the door?” Ben asked.

“Ah, we’re actually required to keep the door open. Faculty can’t have students in their apartments with the door closed.”

It took Ben a moment to realize what Markson meant, and when it came to him he blushed and shook his head and sat back down. Markson laughed.

“So?” Markson said. Ben so badly wanted to talk about Ahmed paying his tuition and now starting to hang out with Tommy.

Instead he said, “Wrestling…It’s not…”

“Ah ha.”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, well, worth a try.”

Ben didn’t want it to be resolved that quickly.

“I’m also…” Ben could use the kind of problems that were possible to talk about. “Like the work, and the routine, it’s all—like I get to Saturday night, and before I can recover it’s already Sunday afternoon and I’ve got to do all my Monday work.”

“You feel burned out.”

“In a way.”

“And are you interested in the work? In the courses you’re taking?”

“I guess.”

“Hm. Do you know Alice Morehead?” Markson asked. Ben nodded. “She’s working on a photography project. She had me come sit for a portrait. It seemed like she wanted to do it regardless of whether it would count.”

“Yeah, I’ve sat for her.”

“So can you find something to do that doesn’t count?”

“I’ll try.”