Chapter 19

I am worried about my graduate class. Jason carries on in much the way he has been all along, contributing frequently and generally well but, more and more, this irritates fellow students. I had hoped they wouldn’t want to be outdone and would occupy more of the discussion, thus reducing his air time. But they retreat and merely make snippy little comments. I decide that Mathilda could be the key, but how do I secure her engagement in the process?

I develop a plan. I will invite both of them to lunch so we can talk over how to make the class run better. I will imply that Jason is part of the problem, which he is, while acknowledging his strengths and portraying him as part of the solution. Mathilda will also be billed as part of the solution. This is all a bit risky. I will be sharing problems with the class dynamics that are at bottom my problems. It would be more upfront to engage the whole class with the issue but that would never work. So I separately find a moment to invite each of them to lunch on Sunday and they both accept. A weak aspect of my plan is that I don’t really cook. But I am good at buying in cold supplies: smoked salmon, cream cheese, fancy crackers, and a variety of salad ingredients. Also Jason says he makes bread and will bring some. No similar offer from Mathilda. The plan has been set in motion.

My ‘special’ graduate student , Maria Johnson, made an appointment for this week in the normal way and indeed emailed in a draft of a new section. Anyone who was reading my emails, and I am assuming that Zoltan or his people were doing that meticulously, would have been completely convinced that she is a genuine student. In fact, sitting in the meeting, I myself am almost convinced that she is the real thing. She seems to mostly talk about her project and the topic of the murder comes across more as small talk. I think she just doesn’t have a lot to say but is keeping in touch and maintaining the graduate student front. I say that Sione Latu has told me how he came to be involved in arranging her enrolment. She asks me what he said, so I tell her he said that while he has retired he still does a bit of work on contract. She gives me a deadpan look. I add, “He seemed to be wanting to recruit me into the New Zealand secret service.”

Maria gives a little laugh and says, “I haven’t been instructed to do any recruiting but it is a thought and certainly we think you have handled yourself very well in the situation.” They certainly have their story straight on that point. “Maybe we could swap jobs,” she jokes. It is all a bit unsatisfactory, but maybe there just is very little they can tell me.

Sunday rolls around. Mikaere left for Tuakau on Saturday. He would have been useful in preparing food but could have been in the way for the discussion about the class. Jason arrives first with an interesting loaf, a light kind of wholemeal with added seeds of various kinds, a British style of bread I suspect. Mathilda shows up slightly late with a bottle of wine. That is nice of her and resolves my dilemma as to whether I should serve alcohol. As she brought it, it would be churlish not to serve it, wouldn’t it? And I could do with a glass myself, to tell the truth. As we get into lunch I prepare the ground by saying I wanted to hear how they have been finding the course and to talk about how we could make it run more smoothly. Jason looks a little suspicious but as we drink the wine and eat the food the atmosphere mellows a little. The bread is very nice and goes well with what I am offering. I try to put the problem to them, that the discussion does not flow well and can become a little hostile. Jason asks me, “Do you think I talk too much in class?”

I must be careful answering this. “It does often end up that way but, if others joined in more readily, then we would have a better balance. You often make some good points that others could feed off.”

It is Mathilda’s turn to ask a direct question. “Do you think I should say more?”

There is no way, or need, to avoid a straight answer to this. “Yes, I think that would be good. I don’t like to impose an extra level of contribution on a particular student, but you are a top performing member of the class and I think you have a lot to offer.”

Mathilda looks a little embarrassed, but I am not sure if it is for being praised in that way or for being implicitly criticised for not pulling her weight? “I will try and contribute more,” she says.

This is all very well but I don’t feel I have made a breakthrough with them. I get them to talk a bit about the topics in the course and I feel that Jason puts forward his views in a restrained manner and Mathilda does join in more than she does in class. This is good, though I am not convinced it can be maintained in a classroom setting. I then hear Mikaere’s Lambretta draw up and tell them this must be my lodger. They seem surprised to hear about a lodger. Mikaere enters through the back door and I introduce him to my students. I ask him if he has had lunch and he says that he hasn’t as lunch was going to be late at Tuakau and he wanted to get off. There are enough leftovers to make an adequate lunch for him so he sits down with us and this makes the atmosphere more casual.

Mathilda asks Mikaere if he is a student and he answers confidently that he is studying to be a beauty technician. Issues around makeup have at times been controversial in Gender Studies but both students take the topic in their stride. Mathilda asks him about makeup techniques, which surprises me a little as I haven’t noticed her wearing much makeup. Perhaps she does in other situations. Then Mikaere asks her if she would agree to him trying out some makeup techniques on her. She hesitates, maybe because it is a distraction from what we were here to discuss or perhaps because she feels it is not the image she wants to present to me. I don’t want her to feel she has to but do want her to feel she can, so I say Mikaere is very good and has practiced his makeup skills on me. With that much encouragement she agrees.

So Mikaere seats Mathilda in a good position, gets out his kit and sets to work. This gives me an opportunity to have a private chat with Jason and tell him how important his contributions are to the class and I am sure we can get things running smoothly. Then we go and watch what Mikaere is up to. He is in his element. He has tied Mathilda’s hair right back, which gives a rare full view of her face, which is really very beautiful, and is working with speed and precision. Jason seems fascinated.

When Mikaere declares his work is complete Mathilda stands up and looks Jason straight in the eye and says, “Am I beautiful now?”

Jason looks a little flustered and says, “Yes, but you were beforehand too.” That is something that could have been said in a light way but clearly he really means it for he goes bright red and is at a loss for words.

Mathilda smiles, and I thought it was going to turn into one of her smirks but, in what seems like an impulsive moment, she goes up to him and gives him a little hug and a kiss on the cheek and says, “Thank you.”

Jason’s colour deepens but Mathilda, whether out of consideration or just instinctively I cannot tell, goes up to Mikaere and gives him a similar hug and a kiss and thanks him for the makeup. Then for good measure she does the same to me. She has a soft, gentle touch. Mikaere offers to remove Mathilda’s makeup if she wishes but she prefers to keep it on. Things seem to be wrapping up and Jason asks Mathilda if she would like a ride home. She says, “Sure.” After they go, Mikaere asks whether he disturbed us and I am able to assure him that he provided just the distraction we needed.