Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

by Gabrielle Zevin

Marx poked his head out of the room, so he could continue to spy on Sadie and Dov. Dov was doing most of the talking. “If I were you,” Dov said, “I would take the next semester off.” Sadie was listening, nodding. “You and your crew. You’ve got something here,” Dov said. “I really believe that.” “But school…” Sadie’s voice was barely audible. “My parents…” “Who cares about any of that? No one cares if you’re a good girl anymore, Sadie. I want to empower you to shed your conventional notions, once and for all. The point of your education has been to do exactly the thing that you’re currently doing. Get the bulk of the programming done while you’re in the flow, and then you can finish school in the spring and the summer, while you finish the sound and debug.” More listening, more nodding. “Do you need me, your former professor, to order you?” “Maybe,” she said. “I’ll help you,” Dov said. “Thank you, Dov.” “I’m always here for you, brilliant one.” He took her in his hirsute arms and he pressed her face deep into his chest. Marx wondered how she could bear the stench.