le girls were sitting on the curb having a fight over who was
prettier or who smoked Gauloises with more panache。 Behind them； their gold Gucci toe…ring
sandals lay discarded in a pile。 Suddenly they started kissing。
？Jesus；？ Rufus muttered； tugging on his matted salt…and…pepper beard； which resembled a used
Brillo pad。
？What； Dad？？ Dan whined impatiently。 It was kind of embarrassing standing outside the party
with his father。 He felt like he was eleven years old。
Rufus tucked his hands inside the stretched…out waistband of his purple sweatpants and Dan
flinched at how unattractive the gesture was。
？After you left you got a call from some raving Greek professor at Evergreen。 First he was going
nuts about how you were supposed to sleep in his hammock and eat grape leaves with him； but
then he started waxing philosophical about how kids your age can？t differentiate between sex and
love。 Apparently he？s quite an expert on the subject。
？Anyway； I talked to him for a while； and what it came down to was； he？s going to make them
hold your place open for the fall a） because I asked him to and b） because he was supposed to be
your advisor and he wants you to help him with his book and c） because we both like you； even
though you？re a knucklehead。？
Dan resented his dad？s fond； vaguely patronizing tone。 ？You can？t tell me what to do；？ he
countered； crossing his hands over his chest and sounding younger by the minute。 ？You can？t。？
？That？s true；？ Rufus agreed。 He gestured toward the funky vintage Buick parked outside the Yale
Club。 ？But I already got you the car。 The least you could do is let me teach you how to drive it this
summer and t