Tommy comes by the office a few days later, closing the door behind him. "Got a few minutes, dad?"
"Yes. I cut the lab short. What's up?"
"You know how I told you I was studying business and finance cause the tribe asked me to?"
"So?"
"I don't want to."
"What do you want to major in, then?"
"I ain't sure, but I want to be a teacher like you and Tor."
"I'm glad you decided early enough so you won't lose many credits, and the few business courses you've had will be good for you in any field. When Tor gets here Friday I think we should have a family conference."
"I hope he ain't goin' to be unhappy with me."
"He's going to be as surprised as I am, but he'll listen to you."
He looks relieved. "I hope, after all you done for me."
Tommy is limping badly when he comes home the next afternoon. "What happened, babe?" I ask.
He flops down and takes off his right foot, beginning to rub the end of his leg. "I don't know. I turned suddenly then my foot began to hurt."
I look at his stump, but see nothing other than it's a little red and slightly swollen. When I press on it he winces. "Let me put a cold compress on it to keep it from swelling any more. I think you should leave your foot off and use your crutches until it feels better."
"Aw, do I have to?"
"I think it's best."
Bad luck seems to come in threes, at least to me. While I'm holding lab on Thursday, I hear a sharp crack then my foot falls loose when I try to take a step. I pull out a stool and sit on it until the end of class. One of my students is a big good-natured kid, so I ask him for help. When he sees my plight, he says, "Damn, I'm sorry, sir," picks up my foot, and helps me to my office. I know the boys will be coming by shortly for a ride home.
The boys help me to the car. I drive us home and send Tommy up for my crutches, since he's easy on his, then drive on to the prosthetics firm. It's then I get irritated at finding it will be Monday before I can have my leg back. I wish I had brought my peg-leg from home, but I had no idea I would need it here. I learn again how awkward it is to carry things when I'm on crutches.
Tor comes in Friday evening insisting that we all go out to dinner. The only way we could have attracted more attention going into the restaurant would have been for me to be on my peg-leg, Tommy in a wheelchair without his feet, and Tor wearing the hook. As it is, we're two leg amps and a kid with a cast, three of us on crutches. The poor waitress looks distressed at our plight and gives us special attention.
After we're back home and I've got the coffee on we all sit down at the kitchen table together for a family meeting. Mike's curious, but Tommy looks uncomfortable.
"You still planning to major in marine biology, Mike?" Tor asks.
"Sure thing, dad. I like my classes more and more." He grins at me. "I'm scared as hell of taking yours."
"You'd better be. I'm not cutting you the first bit of slack. You don't have to take it, though. Tor didn't."
"I know, and I've heard him grumbling about it. He's says I should."
"Damn right, I do," Tor growls.
"You have another year before it comes up in your curriculum," I add.
"I'm glad. Maybe we'll be back home then."
"What does that have to do with it?"
"You'll let me work in your lab and Tor's, so I won't have to push like the other guys, won't you?"
"Part of the time, but don't think that'll get you out of scheduled lab sessions. When we get back, I'll start teaching you darkroom work, so you'll be a little ahead."
"Great."
"Now you've got that worked out, you're excused, Mike." Tor says.
Once Mike is absorbed in a soccer game on TV, Tor looks at Tommy. "Drew tells me you want to switch majors."
"Yes, sir."
"To?"
"I don't know. You and Drew seem so happy teaching, I might like it."
I shake my head. "Teaching what? You have to major in something. Do you want to teach grade school? College?"
He looks thoroughly lost. Finally, he gives me a shrug. "College, I guess."
"Did you enjoy any particular course you've taken so far?" Tor asks.
"I like law the best, I guess, an' I like some history after I seen everything down to the beach and read them books you got me."
Tor shakes his head. "Both fields are badly over crowded. Neither is a good bet for teaching, if that's what you want. Anything else?"
"I have fun with Mike's computer. What about that?"
"If you become very good, there are opportunities there. Probably systems analysis is best, and you can use a lot of what you've already learned. Drew, get the catalogue and let's go through it with Tommy."
Three hours and two pots of coffee later we're all dazed by the number of ideas we've tossed around. I'm getting groggy, and Tor's ready to throw up his hands in disgust, because he got lost somewhere along the line. Tommy has become ambivalent about continuing school.
Tor finishes off the last of the coffee and says resignedly, "Drew, call student services Monday morning and see if they can give Tommy a preference test and so on sometime next week. Maybe we've missed something."
"I hope."
"I'm sorry. I ain't sure 'bout nothin' no more. I'll stay in business, if you all want."
"If you don't like it, you won't do well. Get tested first, then we'll talk again."
"Thanks, Drew. I don't mean to be no bother."
"No bother, babe. All this should have been decided before you ever started college." Tor says.
Monday afternoon, I'm happy to get my leg back and Tommy's able to wear his foot again, to his great delight. Tuesday he comes by my office just as I'm finishing up. "Will you go with me, dad?"
"Where?"
"To student services. They told me to come back this afternoon to find out what I done well in on the test."
"Fine. Maybe I can help you decide if I know also, and Tor will be interested."
The counselor look surprised when I introduce myself. "Unusual to have a professor interested."
"Tommy's my adopted son. It's only natural that I want him to succeed."
"Of course. Have a seat."
I'm pleased with the thoroughness of the testing that's been done. More so when I see the guy's diplomas hanging on the wall. He has a PhD in psychology. After near an hour of explanation, he tells us Tommy will do well in areas regarding books, computer science, and research of a literary nature.
"Meaning what?" I ask.
"He tells me he's already had a few business courses, so if he combines studies in books and computer science, he would be a natural for library science, especially as a reference librarian. He's the first young man I've ever tested I would recommend for the field."
I look at Tommy, who has a quizzical expression. "Well, babe?"
"I didn't know men was librarians. Thought them was all little old ladies."
"Not at all," the counselor says. "Most of the senior librarians on campus are men, as are a number at places such as the Library of Congress. Many large municipal libraries have men as administrators."
"Oh. Do they ever teach?"
"One or two of those here teach graduate level courses. Is that what you'd like to do?"
"I guess. Drew and Tor make it look interesting."
"You will need a PhD in order to do that, especially in a university setting."
"Oh."
Tommy looks bemused, so I thank the counselor and we leave. "How do you feel about this? You can still go for computer science if you want."
"Think I could talk to one of them men sometime."
"Librarians? Of course. We know the senior reference librarian fairly well, Tor especially, because he's done so much research. I'll call him tonight and see when he's planning to come up to work. He can take you with him and you'll see how a librarian can help. If he's not busy, maybe he'll talk with you about it."
"Okay."
I'm disappointed when Tor tells me it will be a while before he can get away. He has to be busy, because he never misses a chance to see us. He asks me to go with Tommy instead.
That afternoon, Tommy and I go to the library for the appointment I made. The reference librarian says, "Good to see you, Drew. Heard you were filling in for Joynes. What are you researching?"
"Something different this time." I introduce Tommy to Paul Ashford. "Tommy's undecided on his major, so I had him tested. The counselor suggested your area, so I hope you have time to talk with him about it."
Paul gives Tommy a smile. "Come on in the office."
When we're seated, Paul looks at Tommy. "I get a lot of requests for help, but this is the first time I've been asked to talk to a young man who thinks library science is worth exploring as a profession. This is a pleasure for me.
"First of all, you must have a sincere love for books and the knowledge they contain. A good memory is essential. I once heard it said that it's no crime to forget something; the crime is in forgetting where to find it again. That's mostly true, but a good librarian has more general knowledge at his fingertips than anyone else. I don't want to discourage you at the beginning, but of any profession a librarian is also probably the poorest paid for his knowledge. One goes into this because they love books and knowledge, not to get rich."
"You must like it, then."
The librarian gives Tommy a big smile. "I wouldn't be happy doing anything else. No matter what your particular interests, there's probably a librarian's position for it. We're becoming as specialized as most other fields. Tell you what, why don't we take a walk through the building so I can show you what I mean. You coming, Drew?"
"No, thanks. I'll bum a cup of coffee and read while you're gone."
Paul grins and points to the door of his washroom, where I know he has a small coffeemaker. They're illicit on campus, but there are few faculty who don't have one hidden away.
They are gone for nearly two hours, during which time I've read several articles and made some notes I think Tor will be interested in. When they return Tommy looks fascinated, and Paul has a broad smile I've never seen before.
"If you would like to find out more about it before you commit yourself totally, I can use a student assistant next semester. You would be involved in nearly every aspect of library work, and I'll teach you some things you can use in class."
"Thanks, sir. I'll think about it seriously."
"I hope you will. Now give me a minute with Drew."
When Tommy goes out to the reading area, Paul says, "I'm glad you brought Tommy to talk to me, Drew, he seems have a genuine interest in what I do. The only drawback I can see is his shyness." He grins. "We librarians do have to assert ourselves on occasion."
"He's coming out it slowly. How do you honestly feel about his chances?"
"Good enough to write him an unqualified recommendation if he wants to pursue library science. Because of the increasing use of technology, I'd suggest he minor in computers, learning as much as possible about the various software programs."
"Thanks for taking so long with him, I appreciate it."
"My pleasure. Tell Tor we've gotten some new material he might like to see."
"Will do."
"Well, babe, what do you think?" I ask Tommy when we're outside.
"Looks real interesting. Dr. Ashford was real nice, too. He told me so much I can't hardly remember it all." He holds out a couple of books. "He told me to read these. I thought a library was only books, but he showed me where they got videos, and records, and all that stuff. Lots of computers, too."
"Rather like finding out there's a lot of different life forms in the ocean, isn't it?"
"You bet. I don't know if I'm smart enough to be a librarian. Looks like they know a lot about a whole bunch of different things."
"That's why you'll have to pick a specialty once you've had the basics. Read those books, then we'll talk to Tor and see what he thinks." I'm glad Tommy's finally showing some real interest in something.