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(Last  week Chartan resumes teaching life restoration class but is upended by a student who wants love advice.)

            Chartan smiled at the woman before telling her in a monotone voice that he had another appointment and could not talk to her.

            “That’s not helpful,” she replied.

            “If you come early to the next class which is in two days, I’d be happy to discuss your concerns, if that is okay with you,” answered Chartan.

            The woman nodded and left and that might have been the conclusion of their interaction save for the fact that Chartan walked to his apartment and the woman pulled her car next to him when the apartment was about a 1,000 feet away.

            “Can I give you a ride?” She had lowered the window.

            At first he couldn’t tell it was the student, but then she gave him that haunting look that  reminded him of Elisa.

            “I’m almost home,” he said.

            “Get in.”

            In his mind Chartan said no as he gripped the car door handle.

            “I live three blocks from here,” he said.

            “Please get in.”

            He had a quick visual of Gina at the kitchen table. “Thank you for the offer, but I am going to walk.”

            The car lurched forward with the tires screeching. Chartan watched the speeding vehicle quickly disappear from sight. His heart pounded. There was something wrong about the way she said “get in.” He didn’t know her name and couldn’t remember her from the class other than the few minutes when she spoke to him after the other students had left. He hadn’t bothered to take roll to make sure everyone in the room was properly registered. Was she actually a paying student?

(Continued next Sunday)