“Thank you for this,” Chea says. “I should tell him more how much he did for me. And what he still does. There’s nobody better.” Suddenly, Chea throws his arms around Esben and claps him heartily on the back. “Thanks, dude.” Then he adjusts his hat and takes off.
I’m rather slack jawed.Holy. Crap.
Esben whips around. “Not a bad start, huh?” Then he begins strolling in search of his next subject.
I walk with Kerry. “He’s magic...,” I breathe out.
“I know, right? It gets me every time.”
The next five interviews go well enough, but they’re mostly girls cheering for the sake of the camera. Still, we hear some warm shout-outs, and Kerry gets some good shots. She calls it “filler,” but I still think it’s nice to hear about friendship, and I think about Steffi and how much I would have to say about her if I were a subject today.
Another four interviews in, Esben is getting visibly frustrated. He wants more intensity; I can tell.
“Allison? You want to pick someone out for me?” he asks.
“Me?” I have no idea how to do anything like this.
“Yeah. You’ll be good, because you’ve got fresh eyes. A virgin consultant.” He winks.
Oh, Lord.He has no idea how right he is. But I agree.
The three of us survey the options around us. There’s such a blur of students out today, and it takes me a moment to start looking at them individually. Not far ahead, I see a white-haired older man in a long wool coat, with a plaid scarf tucked in neatly under the collar. He walks with an elaborately carved cane, although he doesn’t appear to rely on it much. I suddenly very much want to know who this older gentleman’s best friend is.
“Him.” I point subtly.
“Professor Gaylon? Bold choice.” Esben exhales. “Wish me luck.” He throws back his shoulders and marches ahead.
“Who’s Professor Gaylon?” I whisper to Kerry.
She’s trying not to laugh as she holds up the camera. “He’s an econ teacher not known for his affable nature. I’m soooooo glad you picked him!” Kerry scurries to catch up to her brother.
When I reach them, Esben is trying to cajole the professor into talking. “C’mon, you don’t have a best friend? You’d really help me out here. Just a few words?”
“Wouldn’t your time be better spent studying instead of engaging in this video nonsense?”
“How about we make a deal?” Esben is throwing out every bit of charm he has. “You do this really quick interview, and I’ll put in two extra hours of studying tonight.”
Professor Gaylon narrows his eyes and pokes his cane in Esben’s direction. “Deal. Make it snappy.”
Esben gestures to Kerry, and she moves in to film.
“So, tell us about your best friend.”
“I don’t have one. There. That’s your interview!” snaps the professor.
He starts to leave, but Esben stops him.
“Hey, hey, wait! You don’t have any friends? Who would you call in a crisis?”
“911.”
“Are you married? Any family?”
“No. Never wanted to deal with a wife. Family’s all dead.”
Esben rubs his lips together. “Okay. Who do you call just to talk? When you need someone to lean on? When you want to go out to dinner?”
The professor is suddenly silent. For too long. Esben looks unusually uncomfortable.
