The Intellectual Pip
Roger Flynn, 52, bespectacled and hunched, is a caricature intellectual nerd. Shy and awkward beyond belief, he keeps to himself mostly, apart from one colleague, David Milazzo. Milazzo is a historian who likes to drop by to check on Flynn, mostly out of pity, but also fascinated with the English Department which he compares to a medieval dungeon with odd specialties like Roger Flynn’s focus on the Irish poet John O’Donohue and associated interest in Celtic Mysticism.
Flynn’s musky little office could use some order and dusting. Piles of books stand like the leaning tower of Pisa in front of the bookshelves next to piles of research papers precariously stacked in between the books. He had told the janitor not to mess with his very personal disorderly order. The walls are haphazardly decorated with old photos of John O’Donohue and drawings of Celtic druids. Milazzo sits across Flynn’s cluttered desk with ease and comfort ready to delve into campus gossip and intrigues.
Just as Roger was beginning to talk about attending the IASIL, the International Association for the Study of Irish Literatures at University of Galway in Ireland, the department’s chairman, Robert Douglass, walks by ignoring the two of them. Flynn tightens up and kind of freezes between his sentences. He has been avoiding his department head ever since the latter denied him travel money for his conference and had given him a bad grade on his self-evaluation. Flynn has been on a rocky road ever since he started the process of applying for promotion to associate professor. The word has gone round that Douglass has been a tyrant, especially to the younger members of his department. In his early 60s and close to retirement, Douglass relished heading the department he saw as his fiefdom, and loved committee work and the combat of campus politics. He valued teaching and scholarship less. No wonder Flynn is nervous again as he just submitted this year’s self-evaluation to Douglass.
David Milazzo notices Roger’s dread of his supervisor. Leaning forward, David says to his colleague, “Why are you so intimidated by this prick?”
Roger shoots back, “It is easy for you to say. I have a child and there is one on the way!” And as an afterthought, he adds, “I really need this promotion and a better pay.”
David realizes what is at stake for his shy but highly motivated colleague. He cautiously nudges him by saying, “There should be a way of pushing back at this guy. He should not be allowed to minimize all your efforts. You are serving on so many committees. You are a solid teacher. Lord knows Dougl-ass cannot hold a torch to your accomplishment in scholarship!”
“Push back how? What are you saying here?” Roger retorts with some irritation but obvious curiosity.
Reflective and deliberate David replies, “You know something? I learned from my dad about not taking shit from arrogant bosses. I must have been only 9 when I saw my dad get in righteous trouble.”
Roger is all ears. Thinking, “Do I want to get into trouble?”
David continues with his story, “I remember my dad coming to me where I was hanging out outside his office and saying, ‘Don’t be scared. I am going to go inside and take care of business. The next thing I know is I hear noises of tumbling and crushing inside the office. Then, minutes later two sentry guards came stomping down, with bayonets drawn. They kicked the door open and got inside the office to peel my dad off the guy he was pummeling!”
Roger was shocked at what he was hearing. “So? What happened to your dad?”
David replies, “He was demoted shortly after and transferred to a remote location. The whole family had to move.”
“I am aiming for the opposite, David. I want a pro .. motion!” Roger enunciates every syllable for effect.
They both burst into laughter.
Returning to his childhood story, David says, “YOU KNOW Roger, my father’s unending fight, many times losing battles, against oppressive bosses left a lasting impression on me.”
Roger says, “So what is the moral of the story? Beat up your bosses if they deserve it? Are you out of your mind?!”
“No, Roger. I am just saying stand up to them. In your case, you have one tyrant that needs to get the message,” David makes an argument.
“How would I do that?” Roger asks disinterestedly.
“OK,” David is now intent. “This is what you must do. On the day Dougl-ass reacts to your self-evaluation, take an appointment to talk to him. When you get there, on the appointed day, don’t say a word. Look at him intensely while you are slowly closing the door.”
Roger says, “It is against university policy to close the door when you have a meeting after the sexual harassment scandal. You know that.”
“This is a private session. You can do that. Closing the door is the key,” David insists.
“Is the goal here intimidation?” Roger asks.
“To send a message. That is what it is. An unmistakable turn of the table. Meeting him on your own terms!” David wants to drive home this subtle idea of empowerment to Roger.
Roger leans back, way back, looking at the ceiling and recites,
Close your eyes.
Gather all the kindling
About your heart
To create one spark
That is all you need
To nourish the flame
That will cleanse the dark
Of its weight of festered fear.
David yells, “John O’Donohue!”
“The one and only,” Roger chimes.
Two weeks after David’s peptalk to his colleague, Roger shows up at David Milazzo’s office. He waits until a student finishes talking to David, then peeks his head into David’s office. David notices immediately the bright mood his friend is in. With a wide grin on his face, even before he sits down, he announces, “I did it!”
David is amused. “You did what?”
“I received a lukewarm review of my self-evaluation from you know who and I acted on it this time,” Roger says proudly.
“Now I am intrigued,” David murmurs.
Roger continues, “I was a little dramatic. Without an appointment, I went to his office and knocked at the door. When he opened. I started out with a business-like ‘can I see you for a minute?’ while closing the door. He was taken aback and speechless! Before he said anything I plunged into what I wanted to say.”
David can hardly control his delight to hear this. “Dr. Roger Flynn! What an introduction!” he exclaims.
Roger has the last word, “Well. I told him I have a rebuttal to his review as the process moves forward and that I demand respect for my efforts and achievements. I did not wait for him to answer. I thanked him for listening and then I got up and walked out! Leaving the door ajar this time.”
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