Sigrid loses time
“Dr. Sigrid?” Jerry knocked on the doorframe, Sigrid heard her feet shuffling on the doormat. They had added it recently for more notice when people were trying to get their attention.
“Yes, Grad student number 1?” Sigrid looked up from their computer and leaned back in their chair. “What can I do for you? We have a meeting in an hour, but I have time now if you want to move it to now.” They tilted their head, trying to remember if the meeting was now or in an hour. They could be wrong, or Jerry was just overly early. She had a habit of being early and they appreciated her punctuality.
“Thanks, “ She slid into a chair on the other side of the desk, “I think I want to change my thesis a little bit. Still archaeology, just, with a little more,” She paused, “Linguistics?” That sounded fascinating. Sigrid started formulating how they could lay the chapter out. They started looking for the red journal they kept for Jerry’s thesis and ideas. They kept one for each of their students with their full names or chosen names, whichever the student used, to keep track of edits and schedules so they wouldn’t try to put too much on each of them. They worried about their students, especially Jerry. She had been taking on more responsibility in the department, and they were worried she wasn't getting enough sleep.
“I see nothing wrong with adding a more in-depth linguistic chapter.” Where was their pen? “Is there anything else?” they licked the quill tip of their pen and grimaced. The pen was leaking. Normally they didn't mind when there was a good ink flow, but because they were left-handed, too much ink flow would make it smudge, and they had enough trouble reading their own handwriting as it was.
“The recent runestone about Sigrid the Learned? I think that I can work with that as part of my thesis. The gendered landscape through a combination of osteobiography and oral and written tradition.” Sigrid felt themself smile. They had helped write about that stone. It was about them, after all.
“I think that will be a lovely thesis. I do think that you will need to take some more linguistics classes in order to make sure you have a grasp on linguistic theories and how they may interplay with archaeological and cultural theories, though I suppose I could speak with Dr. Archimedes about working with you and perhaps grad student number three, he wants to do a linguistic analysis of historical texts,” they needed to write this down before they forgot. They reached down to get Dicks journal and opened it to the schedule section, “see if she will be able to put together an independent study with the two of you.” they tapped their pen on their bottom lip. They really needed to check the ink in their pen.
“Is that all? Do you still wish for the meeting in an hour?” what was the other meeting for? They couldn't remember.
Jerry shook her head and blinked, “Ah, yes, the meeting later is for my TA stuff?”
Oh, Jerry's job that they were giving her funding for doing. That might be important to discuss. “Yeah, right, TA, yes! Sorry, I’m scattered today,” They blew on the ink in the notebooks, trying to get the ink to dry faster so it wouldn't smudge.
Jerry nodded and slowly left the room to get ready for her other meeting. Sigrid was happy their student cared about the new research coming out. Archie would love to lead a small group for linguistic theory that wouldn't take much convincing. They leaned against the side of their chair, staring at the calendar on their computer. They had a fundraiser tomorrow. It was green, which meant it was for the school. They needed to check in with Faham on her thesis.
They opened the add tab and created a new yellow tab to check in with her.
“Life is like a hurricane,” They hummed, timing their mouse clicks to the old theme song. Jerry’s TA meeting went better than they were anticipating for a meeting they had forgotten was happening.
“Good afternoon, everyone. It's time for mythology class, and today we will be focusing on mythological wars.” they grinned out of the side of their mouth, jumping onto the table at the front of the room. “And many of these wars are based on actual wars, though many, like the Odyssey, we aren't sure which war. I don't think it's been a long day, and I need enrichment.” They jumped onto one of the empty desks and grimaced. Their hip popped, “Of course, there are theories, and there is archaeology that has been done in an effort to identify where these battles may have happened, which brings us to the articles for today.” They slid down to sitting. They were going to need their cane tomorrow.
Class ended early because of their pain. They know their limits. They need to stop pushing through it. Blaire was definitely going to yell at them when they went out tonight. They walked back to their office as quietly as possible, attempting to avoid students and other professors. The less time they spent on their hip, the better.
Sliding into the plush support of their chair they finally relaxed and checked their computer to make sure no emergencies had happened while they were in class.
4 new emails
RE: Individual classes, Linguistic theories
Hey Sigrid,
Yeah I can absolutely do that with Dick and Jerry! Im going to steal dick from you eventually. He's going to come to the dark side and love linguistics.
Dr. Archimedes Flynn, Ph.D. R.P.A.
Anthropology-Linguistics
Pronouns in the Work Place
Dr. Sigrid,
Hi, my name is Benji Jones, He/They, and i am doing a paper on personal Pronouns in the work place and was wondering if I could interview you on the use of your pronouns at the university? I ask because you have given interviews to pryor students and have been an advocate for the addition of pronouns in email signatures.
THANKS!
Benji
Sigrid put their earbuds in and selected a playlist before scrolling through the rest of the emails before responding to Archimedes first, sending a quick text of thanks and a request for a follow-up the next day. They thought about Benji’s email for a while. He needed to work on his emails, and potentially have someone proofread them. They searched for him through the student database. Freshmen, they would still do the interview regardless but started drafting a “how to email” documents and interview list. Nothing said they can't give him a few pointers. It was a small thing, but they admired him for reaching out in his first semester. Most students would have just looked for a friend.
Their email pinged again, a new article produced on sex and gender in the Viking age. What did Blair, Zoe have to say? 25 pages? They could read it quickly and be out of the office in time for dinner with Blaire. Ha same name. They would have to tell their friend!
Their phone pinged,
Blaire
9:31 PM Hey Siggie. We had dinner plans at 7. Its 9:30. Whiskey at yours i already ate.
Shit, it was 9:30? Since when. They pushed themself back from their computer and blinked a few times. The thesis wasn't bad but could have been fleshed out more. They made a note to follow up on the author, just to see if they wrote anything else, and started to collect their books and bags. Their hip creaked as they turned out the string flights that made up the majority of the lighting in their office.
The lab light was still on. That was odd. They peeked out and sighed. Jerry. Jerry was still working. They flung their bag over their shoulder and walked over to Jerry's desk, “Hey, Jerry, I think you need to get some rest.” Jerry jumped, spinning in her chair. Sigrid's hands flew up in defense before they forced them onto her hips. It happened fast enough they were sure Jerry didn't notice.
“Oh, Hi Dr. Sigrid, uh, what, what time is it?” She rubbed under her eye with the heel of her hand, Sigrid wasn't sure if she had even gotten dinner.
“It's nearly ten PM” They paused, Jerry had a roommate if they remembered correctly,” I believe your roommate will be worried. I will walk you out if that's all right with you?”
Jerry looked between the Doc’s office and where they were now. She looked confused. Sigrid couldn't let her take the bus in that condition. What if someone attacked her? What if she fell asleep and missed her stop?
“Uh, yeah, let me just get my stuff together and save my documents.”
Sigrid nodded and started straightening the strap on their shoulder. Jerry was checking her phone, probably making sure her roommate knew she was alive.
“Are you ready?” Jerry jumped again. It was almost funny. Sigrid remembered being that tired when they were young. Maybe they could start keeping more snacks in the lab, or get some funding for an anthropology student lounge with blankets and nap pods or something. They did have a fundraiser tomorrow.
“Yeah, sorry Doc, little scattered.”
“I understand. Come on. Do you take the bus or walk?” they didn't want her to be uncomfortable with what they knew.
“It depends on the day, usually the bus.” Jerry looked at them with a half-confused eyebrow half grin. Sigrid liked to call it the confused grad student face. Like the human version of buffering.
Sigrid gave a slight nod before locking the lab door, “Would you like a ride? There have been a lot of incidents lately; I worry for you all.” There had been four robberies just off campus in the last month. Sigrid didn't mind walking around alone, but their students needed to be protected.
“If it isn't too much trouble, that would be amazing. Sorry, I should have been paying more attention to the time. I can call my roommate. Nico could get me I'm so sorry I don’t want to be an inconvenience,” She was rambling.
Sigrid laughed, they could feel the laugh in their chest. “Don’t worry, Jerry, I lose track of time too. Or I would be out with friends like you should be.” Blaire was going to give them so much shit for losing time reading an article.
“You have friends?” Jerry blurted, her tan face slowly turning a deep shade of red.
Sigrid tilted her head to the side and started laughing again. To the point, they wrapped their arm around their ribs and leaned against the door handle
“Friend. It is far more accurate. She is closer to a sibling, I think. But I guess I am here more often than I should be as well.” they wiped a tear from the corner of their eye. “I can give you a ride. Just give me directions.”
Jerry just nodded. Sigrid was smiling softly to themself as they walked to the parking garage.
“Holy shit.” they heard Jerry whisper.
“I know, but my normal car is in the shop, and I had to take something.” They preened with pride while they unlocked the doors and slid into the cherry red leather interior. The car was their baby.
“Is this a ‘22 Packard!”
“Updated, but yes, that is the base, I am impressed you know that,”
“There's one in the Rout 66 museum in Sapulpa back home.”
“I drove her down Rout 66 years ago. It was a wonderful experience.”
Jerry tucked her satchel bag to her chest and carefully slid into the passenger side, hovering their feet above the floorboard.
“You can put your feet down. It won't harm the car. Most of it has had to be replaced through the years very little of it is stock anymore.” that was a lie, they'd taken amazing care of the car over the years with the only things not being original being the safety additions and converting it to a partially electric car. They reached for the glove box, pulled out white, leather, fingerless driving gloves, and carefully drove them to the edge of campus.
“Take a left,” Jerry mumbled, the only sound the whole ride was the occasional clicking of the turn signal and Jerry's soft directions. They pulled the car up to the curb outside of a cute cafe. They were pretty sure Blaire had gotten them a coffee with the logo before.
“Thank you, again, so much. I'll be more careful about time in the future.” Jerry carefully slid out of the car.
“Please, don't worry. You're a good student. But remember to take time for yourself. You should make sure you are okay as much as you make sure your work is okay.” Her work was always perfect. Jerry was smiling.
They waved before driving home. Ready for a lecture on work-life balance from their friend.