Right to Die

the center of attention that way. The flag bearer, get it?”
    “Yes.”
    “Well, I want to specialize in Family Law, Domestic Relations. That means mostly divorce, but it also gives you adoptions, appointed work for abused kids, the chance to do some good for people who are in the worst time of their lives and really need the help. Strock teaches Family Law here. Before that, he was this big-time divorce lawyer. Doesn’t talk about it, but I think he got tired of the hassle and decided to sort of retire to teaching. He maybe consults for some of the dom/rel firms in town, to keep his hand in, but mostly he’s just a teacher and a... mentor.”
    “What kind of mentor?”
    “The kind that can make or break your resume.”
    “Like by who he chooses for research assistant?”
    “And he chooses the assistants with a critical eye.”
    I was beginning to get it. “As in eye of the beholder?”
    “The student who beat me out of the job is named Kimberly. She has long hair that I actually heard her call ‘flaxen’ once. If Strock’s sitting down, she has to tuck some of that hair up and over her ear when she leans forward to look over his shoulder and glance at him sideways.”
    “Sexual harassment?”
    “No. At least not the way you mean it. Kimberly was angling for the job more than Strock was angling for her, I think.”
    “But on the merits, you should have been picked?”
    “Hands down. I know, that doesn’t sound real modest, but I got the highest grade in his family law course last quarter and was the best performer in class.”
    I didn’t say “as opposed to after class,” but I did picture the couch in Strock’s office. “All right, Ms. Russo. I understand the context. What can you tell me about the guy otherwise?”
    “Otherwise. Well, he’s pretty insecure.”
    “In what way?”
    “He’s not a very good teacher—not just my opinion, by the way. Student evaluations as well as anecdotal comments by the other kids. He tries to get by on his reputation, but I don’t think he’s been inside a courtroom in ten years. He takes the simple law school administrative stuff and kind of blows it out of proportion. Probably makes him feel like a big man.”
    Something clicked. “Strock ever shoot for the deanship himself?”
    “Yeah. At least that’s the rumor. But he didn’t get it. Don’t know why, but maybe that’s part of the insecurity.”
    “Sounds to me as though you shouldn’t feel too bad, not having to work closely with the guy.”
    “Give me a few days.”
    “How about Strock’s relationship with the rest of the faculty?”
    “Hard to say. They’re all kind of a blank to us about how they feel toward each other, unless one mentions another in class.”
    “Has Strock ever done that?”
    “Once in a while. The only one he seems to have it in for is a woman named Andrus.”
    No surprise so far. “Maisy Andrus?”
    “You’ve heard of her.”
    “Some.”
    “Well, she’s got this thing about the right to die, but she also makes her students stand when they participate in class, so Strock always refers to her as She-Who-Makes-You-Stand, like that’s the way he believes we think of them all.”
    “Of the faculty?”
    “Yeah. Like He-Who-Has-Dandruff, She-Who-Smokes, like that.” Russo drank some beer. “You know, you’re right. He really is a dork most ways.”
    “You said Strock does consulting work?”
    “I said maybe he does.”
    “You think that brings in much money?”
    “That’s what I meant by maybe.”
    “Go on.”
    “Well, just looking at his suits and car and all, I get the impression he might be hurting for cash. He’s supposed to have this great house over in Cambridge , but he’s sure around the school a lot more than the professors who consult in the corporate and tax areas. Also, I never really see people coming to see him, although I guess he could do a lot of that over the telephone.”
    “Anything else?”
    “About the money thing or Strock in general?”
    “Either.”
    Russo took a little more beer, then pushed it aside. “God, I hate to drink in the afternoon. Makes me worthless for the rest of the day.” She shifted around to me. “About the money, I guess all I know is that Professor Andrus is supposed to be really rich, and Strock’s jibes at her go beyond the usual joking. Makes you think he really resents something about her.”
    “What about Strock in general?”
    Russo closed her eyes, then opened them. “I don’t want you