The Way of the Warrior-Wizard

After Duncan had finished the last lecture of the week, he packed up his briefcase to go home. He was tired, but it was a good feeling nonetheless. The last month had been unfolding very well for him. He had been permitted to resume his teaching duties once again; and his nemesis, Professor Donaldson, had begun to treat him with a grudging respect. The man hated to admit that he had been wrong about his young colleague, but he no longer patronized him or objected to “the kid” being a member of the faculty.

Dean Andrews had been particularly delighted that Donaldson had “come around”, as he termed it, because it meant that the other professors would begin to accept Duncan as well.

He felt a great inner satisfaction, because he had worked very hard to be unfailingly polite and respectful to all that he interacted with, no matter how badly they might treat him.

As he left the lecture hall, accompanied by his constant canine companion Davy, he was surprised to meet Professor Donaldson himself. He had been waiting just outside in the hallway, as if he wanted to speak with his younger colleague. Duncan's heart missed a beat. Had he done something to incur Donaldson’s wrath yet again? He fervently hoped that the Professor had not heard about Jack’s ghostly investigation of the MacGregor farmhouse a few weeks ago.

“Professor Donaldson?” Duncan greeted him in surprise, “May I help you?”

As an answer, Donaldson extended his hand in what appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation. Astounded, Duncan shook his hand firmly.

“Duncan, I’m here to apologize to you, yet again,” Donaldson said in his usual straight-forward manner, “I was wrong about you. You’ve shown yourself to be a real professional and not just the ‘Wiz-Kid’ that I thought you were, all sparkle and no substance. Your father and I have had a few conversations about you in the past few weeks, and I realize that he’s done a very good job with you. He’s obviously taught you a Warrior’s discipline, and that’s a good thing in my books. So—no hard feelings, I hope?”

“None, Professor Donaldson!” Duncan exclaimed excitedly, his face lighting up like a candle, “Thank you! This means a great deal to me, to have earned your respect.”

“Well, I really should have told you before this. My wife has been after me for weeks, but I suppose my pride gets in the way of my better nature. I’m sorry—and to make it up to you, my wife wants to invite you and your father to our home for supper this weekend. If you have time for us, that is.”

“Yes, I’m sure my father will be delighted, and I’ll certainly make the time to come, Professor! Thank you ever so much.”

“Good,” Donaldson replied, “My wife will be in touch. Good evening, Professor.”

“Good...good evening, Professor!” Duncan returned his greeting with a smile.

As he left the building, Duncan was ecstatic. He nearly ran into his elder-sister, Mairi, who had just picked up her young daughter from day-care and was now here to collect him as well.

“Well then, Duncan!” she bellowed good-naturedly, “Where are you off to, in such a hurry?”

“No hurry, Mairi,” Duncan responded excitedly, “It’s just that Professor Donaldson apologized to me and then told me he thought I was a real ‘professional’! And, he invited Father and I for supper!”

“What?” Mairi boomed in a mock-offended tone, “You mean Angela and I are no’ invited? What is the world comin’ to, Angie, dear?”

Duncan bent down to give his young niece a kiss in order to make up for the unintended invitational snub. He had been working with her recently on learning shapes, colours, and letters, along with his youngest brother Hami. She gave him a hug and clapped her hands in excitement at the very sight of her Uncle Duncan.

Glenlachlan, the birth father of young Angela, was not far behind.

“So, Warrior-Wiz, I hear you’re taking King’s by storm!” he teased Duncan.

“Hardly!” Duncan retorted, “It’s more like the storm is finally over and my colleagues are finding out that I’m no more a threat to them than a sparrow in spring.”

As they strolled over to Mairi’s car, Glenlachlan went ahead with Angela and busied himself with buckling her into the car seat.

“Glenlachlan seems to be taking a bit more responsibility for wee Angela,” Duncan observed of his older brother.

“Aye,” Mairi agreed, “and that’s true of Angela’s birth mother, Clarice, as well. She’s been volunteering at the University’s day-care centre so that she can spend time with the wee one. I’ve told her she can come over to my home whenever she likes, but she’s still hesitant to do that.”

“Perhaps she’s afraid that she’ll grow too close to Angela and regret her decision to let you adopt the child,” Duncan suggested.

“Perhaps,” Mairi concurred, “but I think she’s a practical girl, and she wants what’s best for the child. She’s got her whole life ahead of her, and she’s making plans for it.”

“That is good, Mairi,” Duncan replied as he directed Davy onto the floor of the back seat.

“Don’t worry about us serfs, Professor,” Glenlachlan told his younger brother in a good-humoured tone, “Angie, Davy and I will take a back seat to you, of course.”

“It’s just that I don’t want Mairi to feel like a limousine driver,” Duncan explained apologetically as he jumped into the front seat.

“I was just havering to you, Duncan,” Glenlachlan replied, “Don’t take yourself too seriously...and Mairi is the limo driver, by the way.”

“Be off with you, Glenlachlan!” Mairi retorted, “Once you have your license, it will be you that’s driving the 'limousine'.”

The siblings continued their good natured quibbling all the way back to the MacGregor farmhouse, with Davy snoozing on the floor of the car.