Mr Malloy: A BWWM Teacher-Student Romance (2 page)

When she arrived early on Wednesday evening, Professor Malloy was already in his office. He called her in when she knocked timidly on his office door. He was sitting behind his desk grading assignments and he looked up with a warm smile when she entered.

Amara couldn't help but notice he was truly an attractive man. She looked at the loose curls of his blonde hair and his sharp blue eyes with an appreciation for their fairness, but what attracted her to him most of all, was that warm smile of his which seemed to her to be real and genuine, and the most welcoming thing she'd seen since she had arrived in Colorado.

"You freshmen may have it easy in your first week, but the seniors are trying to get their internships at law firms and its tough competition," he explained to her, nodding towards his papers. "Most of them are making a last minute effort at their final grades after coasting through most their time here. Some of them will get there alright, if they work hard this year, but others are going to struggle looking at these." he indicated the tests on his desk. "You're doing the right thing, taking your studies seriously from day one. That's admirable. Please, sit down."

The young woman took a seat at the desk opposite the professor, who turned over the paper he was grading and pushed the pile aside to focus on her. She felt shy to be in an office with the professor all on her own, but she was also grateful for the chance to ask him extra questions and to delve deeper into different topics, which they had only skimmed over in class.

Amara had been studying law ever since she was an eleven-year-old girl, realizing that she wanted to change the world. She had been surprised when she had found out that the vast majority of books on her reading list at the University were ones that she had already read a long time ago. She was desperate to be challenged in her learning, and engage in her subject and with her classmates, but she was finding that even in the S, States, she was a frontrunner. Challenges would be hard to come by for her.

She didn't know why, but she'd expected to come to the S States as a small fish in big waters swimming out to sea. Instead, she had found that she'd simply landed in another pond and was still a big fish, an exceptional woman no matter where she found herself. Chances like these, to get ahead and go deeper, were opportunities she craved in order to remain challenged and to go further.

Professor Malloy sat back in his chair and looked at this freshman that wasn't afraid of hard work. He had already noticed that she was a beautiful young woman, but he could see now that the determination she had shown in class was a reflection of her desire to learn, and it amplified her natural confidence. Here, alone with him, she seemed a little more shy and reserved, but that eager look on her face remained in place and she slid a paper across the desk to him with anticipation.

"I know that the assignment isn't due until next week, but I thought I'd take the opportunity to discuss it with you here, so that I have time to work on it before the next class. If that's alright, of course. I don't want to seem to be cheating. We can discuss the topic more generally if you prefer."

Jason smiled at her diligence. "Not at all,” he told her. "I'd love to discuss it with you. I certainly don't view that as cheating. All of your classmates had the exact same opportunity to be here with me tonight as you did, and I find that a second pair of eyes always helps us to see things in a new light. Let me take a look at this."

The young professor took a few minutes to read through Amara's essay and as he did, it soon became clear to him that he was not dealing with another young elite trying to follow in Mommy and Daddy's footsteps or just trying to get rich. This wasn't a girl with a superficial understanding of the hard facts of the law. No. This young woman's assignment was written with intelligence and maturity and sensitivity to the human collateral of the case.

"You've navigated the complexities of joint custody with great insight." Jason commented honestly. "And it's interesting to see your assessment of paternal rights. You have chosen some excellent cases to justify your points, too, but I wouldn't expect to see an essay with this kind of balanced view and referencing until well into your junior year. Have you studied law before? Before you came to America, perhaps?"

Amara laughed at the assumption and shook her head, but secretly she was thrilled that he had noticed her ability. She had struggled for recognition her whole life. Whenever she had handed an essay in to her mother in the past, she would receive a template of praise from a woman who, unfortunately, didn't understand Amara's pursuits well enough to recognize impressive work, and her father... Well, Amara was sure that he knew how talented she was, but he chose to ignore it in favor of the traditional role he wished his daughter to play.

The teachers too, had seemed disinterested in writings on a topic that the school did not offer. Amara felt she had been waiting her whole life for someone to look at her and see an intelligent mind rather than just a simple woman, or an attention seeker, or any number of other things that people always seemed to see when they looked at her other than the sincere intellectual that she was.

"I've always loved the idea of law." Amara told her professor with passion for her cause evident in her voice. "It seems that everywhere I look there are miscarriages of justice and as a young girl, you feel so powerless against all the evils in the world. The law is a weapon that anyone can use to protect and repair a broken world, and make it a better place for others now and in the future."

Jason smiled. The way she spoke reminded him of himself when he had been her age, which, in truth, wasn't all that long ago. Most people saw the law as a rigid and inflexible thing, full of bias and fault, but people like he and Amara saw the beauty in it and the evolution of it, and the way that the legal system could make a bad world good with the right people driving it.

"It's refreshing to see a young person who sees the value of the law beyond its ability to provide a lucrative career. It shows in your essay and it shows when you speak. I must say I'm glad that we managed to have this time today. I would have been very disappointed if your ability had gone unnoticed in my class.

When I see this kind of intuition for the law in a student, I like to nurture it. I want you to know that my door is always open for you, Amara. I don't want you to get bored in my classes." He held up her essay pointedly. "You're clearly very advanced."

Amara's cheeks flushed warmly again. "I was sure that you would have so much to criticize,” she confessed. "I wasn't sure I had threaded the pieces together quite well enough. I thought perhaps I lost the train of the argument somewhat."

"Well perhaps the formatting of the essay could be improved with some streamlining. But the content is exceptional and we can work on the rest. I don't expect anybody to be able to write an essay without fault on their first try, but I must say that this is the closest I have ever seen anybody come to doing it."

Jason was beginning to enjoy the sight of Amara's humble smiles. The only thing that could spoil a lawyer with potential was a lawyer with an ego. The humility of this girl, who clearly had a brilliant mind, told Jason that she had not only the skill, but also the temperament to make a difference and that was something he definitely wanted to encourage. Unfortunately, the soft-hearted, gentle creatures of this world rarely get to make waves because they are all good intentions, but no bite. Jason's job, when he came across a timid but talented girl such as Amara, with a desire to change the world as she had, was to teach her how to take that skill and those good intentions. And translate them into something solid and durable to enable them to one day become law.

*

He was still thinking about her long after their discussion had ended while on his way home. The young professor had decided to teach, rather than work in, law himself because he wanted to pass down his love of law and his love of ethics to younger generations for years to come. Like one stone making countless ripples of change.

As he came around the corner in view of his house, he saw that his neighbor, Mr. Finchley, was out in his yard, trimmers in hand, old cap pulled low over his eyes as he worked away at his ever-growing flora and fauna.

"Mr. Finchley!" Jason called out. "How are you tonight, Sir?"

They had conversations over their fences almost daily, and as Mr. Finchley lived alone and his children were far from him, Jason considered it a duty, an honor, and a privilege to stop and talk with the old man every time he got the chance.

Mr. Finchley had been a judge a thousand years ago, and he loved to read the newspaper every day and hear the courthouse gossip about the latest trials. He also loved to talk shop with Jason about his classes when Jason passed his fence, and once a semester, Jason would have Mr. Finchley come and guest lecture in his class.

"I'm finer than a frog hair split three ways tonight!" Mr. Finchley announced, standing up and throwing his old shoulders back to give them a rest and draw in a deep breath. "Did you see that verdict in the paper this morning?" he asked Jason, pushing his cap back on his head and wiping his brow with a handkerchief pulled from his back pocket.

Jason had known this would be on their agenda of topics the moment he'd seen the newspaper’s headline in the department lounge that morning. Mr. Finchley might be ancient, but he was as sharp as a tack, and nothing got by his keen eyes.

"I did, Sir. You were right all along, that fellow was found guilty and he's not going to see the light of day for a long time. I don't know how you do it, Mr. Finchley. Everyone was sure he was innocent and going to get off scott-free."

Mr. Finchley nodded and smiled, his old blue eyes twinkling. "Well, money may buy a lot of things, but it doesn't often by favors in the courtroom when the environment is at stake. I don't care what the Republicans say, the Earth is a finite resource, and anyone who is paying any attention at all is going to see that. That fool had no business knowingly running a business that was going to do that much damage to the planet and the animals who live in that area."

He reached out and touched one of the long branches of the beautiful tree he was trimming. "We can't live without a healthy planet, and that's just simple basic ecology."  He was silent a moment and then he sighed, and a smile returned to his face as he looked over at Jason. "New semester today?" he asked brightly.

"Yes, Sir, all new mushrooms to teach. I have a full class this semester." Jason grinned at his inquisitive neighbor.

"Any of them look like potential stars?" he asked, with high hopes. He always said that there was at least one in every class who could make a difference in the world if they only had the chance to do it.

Jason pursed his lip and nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, Sir, Mr. Finchley, do you know, I believe there is one this semester that might be right up there at the top. She is a bright girl. She is a foreign student from South Africa. She's already ahead of the class!"

Mr. Finchley tilted his head and a grin spread over his face. "Ahead? You just started the class!"

Jason nodded and pushed his hands into his pockets. "Yes, I did, and she's already looking for more time tutoring and help in getting ahead. She wrote a paper and showed it to me today. I'll share it with you, if she’ll let me. I think you would be impressed with her."

Mr. Finchley nodded and beamed. "I keep telling you, Jason, there's at least one in every class who could make a difference in the world if they only get the chance to do it. You keep on top of her, push her and make sure she reaches her potential. It's important to hold those little stars up so that they can make it and not be let down."

Jason nodded. "Yes, Mr. Finchley, I will make sure to do that."

"I know you will, son." Mr. Finchley grinned at him again and tipped his hat before lowering it over his eyes and bidding Jason goodnight.

Jason walked the last short bit of distance to his door, his mind returning to thoughts about his new class, and especially his new potential star student.

They say that those who cannot do, teach, but this was definitely not the case for Jason. Like Amara, he had once entered his freshman year miles ahead of his classmates. In fact, Jason had always been ahead. He had the kind of intelligence that dealt not only in facts and figures, but he was keenly comprehensive of human emotion. This made him a man of incredible potential and he had the drive to accomplish anything he set his mind to. He not only had the will to do good in the world, but the ability. It was a struggle for him, therefore, when the university  requested that he stay on as a professor after he'd finished his PhD, rather than going out into the world a lawyer.

Jason had no shortage of offers for internships with many law firms all over the country. He was at the top of every class and he had interviewed very well, due to his easy and pleasant manner, but he was also sought-after because of his ability to hold up under pressure with calm and determination, making him a first choice candidate for every law firm looking to grow their talent pool.

However, as tempting as those positions had been, and as much as they would have put him in a much better position of authority in order to affect change, Jason had to confess to himself that he was a scholar and a teacher at heart. Long before offers of becoming a professor had reached him, Jason had been tutoring his fellow students and writing blogs about the finer points in the law.

He had been a ghost at the library that freshmen and seniors alike would come to for help with their studies. He was so friendly and approachable, that he had become something of an icon during his years as a student at the University of Colorado, as everybody knew how to find him and would regularly come to him for help.