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robot project. But why I called you, I thought maybe you had some little research project of your own lined up, you might put forward as an alternative proposal? I thought so, good, good. Listen, write it up and we’ll add it to the agenda. No, perfectly okay. I’ve been at these committee brawls before, know the infighting techniques you might say, haha … No, listen, last Fall we had a last-minute addition to the agenda steered through, it can be done … Oh, it was some scheme for sending messages into space, pi … no, pee eye, the number. Yeah, and listen, they had plenty of old farts opposing, sitting around cracking jokes about pi in the sky: you wouldn’t believe the hostility … no but it has to be worth a try, eh? So if I could have your proposal tomorrow, we’ll get it printed … That’s perfectly all right, sure.’
    He hung up and noticed the face hanging at the edge of his door, the pouched eyes and red beard. ‘Uh, Goun is it? Pretty tied up just now, Goun. Like to see the girl for an appointment?’
    The owner of the face stepped in. Dirty jeans, lumberjackboots, mackinaw. ‘She’s not there. Could you spare me a minute now?’
    ‘Just one, then. And it’ll have to wait for this phone call, okay?’ He looked up the number of Helen Boag, Dean of Persons, and punched buttons. The haggard eyes watched every move.
    ‘Dr Boag? This is Rogers, over in Disney Hall. Say, I see our committee’s in for a rough ride with this Project Roderick thing … Yes, the cyber … Been allegations of fraud, for one thing. Not that I … yes, and I understand Dr Tarr of the Parapsychology Department wants to put up an alternative proposal, so we’re caught in the crossfire, you might s … Well I know you’ve got a tight schedule, so thought I’d better warn you … Yes, very wise, very wise. Get out of the line of fire altogether, let ’em fight it out themselves, so to sp … May just duck out myself, seems the wisest … Oh, you’re welcome.’
    He checked off the name, while the haggard eyes looked up to the picture above his head.
    ‘Like that, Goun? An Allen Jones original litho, I’m kind of pleased with it myself. Hope it doesn’t give people the impression I’m some kind of fetishist, or … Okay, make it brief?’
    ‘I’ve got a field philosophy hang-up, sort of, professor.’
    ‘Let’s see, you teach one of the seminars – is it Human Use of Media Resources?’
    ‘No. Sociology of Losing.’
    ‘Of course, of course. Haha. Trouble with a big department like this, you lose touch with everybody.’ Rogers scratched a pock mark below his ear. ‘Go on.’
    ‘The thing is, I’m looking for a more meaningful involvement in the environmental mainstream. I mean, teaching in this kind of informalized stratum is okay, but with these kids, the, the catalyzation potential is already, er, catalyzed. Know what I mean?’
    ‘In a sense. Cultural matrix imprinting getting you down?’
    ‘See, maybe with less older subjects, kids, I could break through some of the urbanized alienation syndrome barriers, the stress, the stre-he-hess –’ Suddenly the eyes squeezed forth tears. ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry … sorry …’
    ‘What is it? Goun?’
    The shoulders of the mackinaw shook. ‘I’m sorry … Beendepressed a lot this last year, ever since my sister died … can’t stay here knowing … could be one of my students, anybody … his first, she was his first victim and now every time there’s another it’s like he kills her all over again … This place, this place!’
    ‘Slow down now, Goun, I’m on your side, slow down. Now. What’s this about a victim?’
    ‘The … Campus … Ripper. He’s done it again, a waitress or something … in the paper. I mean he’s still out there, killing and killing and … I … I just want to get away from here, maybe try teaching in a … I don’t know, a grade school some place, I don’t know …’
    When the sobbing stopped, Rogers said quietly,