Easy As Hauling Off A Shrike.
by: Angharad
part:364

After I'd managed to catch my errant rodent and slip her back to her babies, and Tom had finally stopped laughing, we set off home. We called in a supermarket on the way and did the shopping for the weekend, so that was one less chore to do while our visitors were there.

Being a thursday, once we'd sorted out the dinner - I did a quick risotto - I set to and checked my notes for my teaching the next day. It was my favourite topic, field biology, I'd worked with Tom to produce an adjunct to the course which was worth a full credit. This was the first time we'd run it and I was excited but nervous.

I'd been surprised by the uptake, with sixty students signing up for it, probably three times what I'd expected. The course was essentially over fifteen weeks with three batches of theory plus a practical: this meant four lessons and a field trip.

I'd been especially pleased to run it, because I knew how excited I felt about being out in the countryside or the coast, and it gave a new skill to any biology graduate who wanted to work in the field rather than a lab. Me, I'd rather watch birds or count dormice than dissect rats, any day.

Tom had hopes that we could sell the course as a stand alone for nature watchers who wanted to do things more scientifically or systematically. Essentially, it was about ecosystems and how they interact with each other, with an intention to give each student some tools to use to do a small research project. In other words we teach them the whys and wherefores of different ecological principles in the hope they can apply them.

I show them one relating to a peregrine falcon and how its upsurge in numbers can be linked to the enviroment in which it lives, including on top of an office block. We also compare how successful its breeding is against one in rural setting, where it is more likely to be persecuted.

I checked through my powerpoint presentation, it was fine and I could hardly wait to get started the next day, not a feeling that accompanies the teaching of Krebbs Cycle - it's not a make of bikes nor a bike shop!

Later, a quick chat with Simon and I went to bed. I wanted an early start tomorrow, and I planned on looking fairly smart. Sadly, I slept fitfully, a combination of my new course and Simon and Stella arriving in the evening. However, the shower helped me to revive and I dressed in skirt and jumper I'd bought ages ago. The skirt is a green tartan like check, the hem is one of these like a table cloth in having four points. It falls well below the knee to mid calf and looks best with boots. The top was a soft cowl necked, green acrylic jumper. I wore a long string of beads and a bracelet made of green aventurine. The boots were my black ones and I wore a green jacket to go with everything else. Makeup and smellies all complemented each other and I dried and brushed my hair. I actually looked and felt quite tidy.

Two hours later I was still setting up as students began to fill the lecture theatre and I noticed to my horror, Tom and the Dean sitting in on my class. If I hadn't felt psyched up for it, then I was now.

The introduction went well, the projector worked - it has been known to object to working with me - and the questions asked were intelligent, and pertinent. This was quite a pleasant surprise to me and I hoped the visiting dignitaries. They stayed for the whole two hours and were waiting for me at the end.

"That was pretty good stuff, Cathy, and you kept their enthusiasm. I'm glad I came, you're turning into a very capable teacher." The Dean seemed pleased with my effort.

"Yep, pretty good," said Tom smiling like a Cheshire cat. I got the impression he knew something I didn't.

"Cathy, I'd like to consider running an ecology course here in conjunction with the biology. The course would run for a whole year and be worth three credits. I need to present an outline to the board in a month's time if you could put a draft together?"

"When are you planning on running it?"

"This year."

"What? Who's going to teach it?"

"You are, assumimng you want to."

"I'd love to, but what about my other stuff?"

"We'll find someone else to do that. The element of field biology we currently run, we'll rename 'ecology' and expand it. I'm also looking at starting some distance learning courses, as they help the revenue situation."

"Okay," I said, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the Dean's offer, "I'll put something together."

The Dean left and Tom looked at me. "Ready for lunch?"

"Lunch?" I asked.

"Well you're all dressed up, I assumed it was so I could take you out to lunch without embarrassing me."

"Embarrassing you? Ha, I don't have gravy stains in my beard."

"Essential supplies in case I get marooned somewhere, I could always suck my beard."

"Where are we going?"

"Usual place," he smiled and sighed when I told him I wanted to go and freshen up.

For a change, I had lemon sole, one of my absolute favourites. Tom had sea bass, the curry was off. We chatted over the prospects for the new course.

"It's only an option for students for the next few years, but if it's well subscribed, it could become one in its own right. After all, the emphasis on ecology these days is so enormous, I think we could get loads of interest. You need to get your doctorate, because I think in a few years you could be poached by a larger university like Bristol or Birmingham to set up a course there. Eventually, it could mean a chair for you or a stepping stone to a less academic more political career."

"I don't want to get into politics, I despise politicians."

"So do most of us. However, sometimes in order to bring about the change one wants, one has to do so from the inside."

"Okay, but tonight I just want to focus on having Simon and Stella back and the prospect of a bike ride with them tomorrow."

"I'm not happy about that."

"Tom, in loco Daddy, or should that be plum loco? Look I know you're concerned for me, what with this weirdo running amok, but I'd be with Simon and Stella, so between us we should be safe enough."

"We don't know anything about this miscreant, except the victims are all female, which leads me to believe it's a man who's doing it."

"Violence usually is."

"True," what else could Tom say but agree with me? With Simon around tomorrow, I wouldn't expect anything out of the ordinary to happen.