Keith entered the classroom, not looking up at the students as he headed straight for the table near the lectern. “Sorry I’m a little late,” he said, putting his bag down on the table. He pulled out a folder and then looked up at the classroom full of students.
Sitting in the back of the room, directly in front of him, was a pale young man with red hair, wearing the most extreme of goth regalia. He was sprawled out over two desks, his feet up on the seat in front of him, with that ever-present smirk on his face.
Keith smiled, and some of the other students glanced at the goth kid. Keith looked down at his folder, and put it aside.
“Today,” he said, with a smile, “We’re not going to follow the syllabus. I know we were going to talk about virtue in the Roman army, but let’s talk about something else.” He glanced at the rest of the class. “How about homosexuality in the Roman legions.”
Most of the kids, including the goth kid, sat up straight. “You might have heard of the Sacred Band of Thebes from the Greeks. No? Well, let me tell you…”
He launched into a lecture that he didn’t need notes.He discussed the Sacred Band, and led into the culture of the Romans, how a man could have relations with another man provided he was the dominant one, what kind of people were used for sex. He named names, gave dates, details, and basically went through one of the articles that he had published the first year he had come out. He was in no way an expert, and gave names of other historians who were, quoting from memory their papers and books.
Keith looked up at the clock. The hour had flown by. The students were caught up in his passion for the subject, and leaned forward listening intently. He had to wrap it up, so he stopped the lecture, gave them homework, and reminded them about their papers that were due in a month. They all packed up and left, talking among themselves.
All except the goth kid in the back.He said, still with that smirk, “You did that for me, didn’t you?”
“I wanted to show you that not all history is dull, Kenny.” Keith smiled. “So, will you take a couple of classes?”
“You gonna teach ’em?”
Keith laughed. “My statistical analysis skills are rusty at best, and I don’t know much about the sciences. But I can steer you in the direction of some good professors.”
Kenny shook his head. “Nah. I don’t fuckin’ fit in with these types of people.”
“Listen.” Keith pulled out a textbook from his bag. It was weighty and written by his mentor, and he used it for this class. “How about you read the chapter that they’re reading and come back for Wednesday’s lecture?”
Kenny looked at the book in Keith’s hand. “I don’t like reading’.”
“What about the audiobook? I have a copy in my office.”
Kenny jumped up, as if something bit him. This was the same reaction that he had the night he went over Keith’s apartment, when Keith asked him to stay the night. Kenny had bolted. Keith knew he had scared the colt again. “I gotta go,” Kenny said, heading to the door.
“Look,” said Keith, putting the book back, ‘if you don’t want to read it, then come to the lecture anyway.”
Kenny put his hand on the door. He didn’t look at Keith as he said, “Yeah.” He yanked open the door and bolted out of the classroom, as if the hounds of hell were after him.
