too.”
“I’ve heard medicine is pretty tough. It must have been hard for her to get into Tulane,” he said.
“Actually, she’s at the top of her class. It’s the attitudes of the doctors and the other students getting to her. Cassie is very outgoing, and likes people. That’s why she chose medicine. The men just don’t think medicine is a place for a woman. Would you want to be examined by a female doctor?”
“It would probably make me uncomfortable,” he said.
“See, that’s the attitude she’s up against. How do you think a woman should feel being examined by a male doctor? You don’t have to answer, I know, all doctors are males and always have been.”
“That’s not the same thing. You’re putting words into my mouth,” he said.
“Am I?” she asked. “The only difference is the roles are reversed. I run into many of the same prejudices Cassie does, but more subtle. Cassie is a lot more determined than I am. I doubt I could handle what she has to face. I don’t want to argue with you. I’ll save that for moot court.
Let’s get back to work,” she said.
“I want you to understand something, Rebecca. I think I’m falling in love with you. Don’t tell me I’m being silly. I can’t help it. When you put your hand on my arm a little while ago, it gave me the shivers. If it makes you uncomfortable, I’ll try to find another study partner.”
Two hours later, they decided they had finished analyzing the brief, and decided to call it a night. “It’s late. I’ll walk you back to your room,” Joshua said.
“That’s not necessary, Josh. I’ll be all right,” she said.
“It is necessary, as far as I’m concerned,” he said. Together they walked back to her apartment. At the steps, she turned, to kiss him on the cheek. At the same time, he turned his head and her lips touched his instead of his cheek. He pulled her to him, and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently. At first, she responded, then drew back. With his arms still around her, she leaned back. “I’m sorry,” he said. I didn’t mean to take advantage of you. It was an accident.”
“There’s no need to apologize, Josh. You’re my friend and I like you. Good night. See you in class.” She turned and went up the steps and into her building.
He turned and started to cross the street to head home. A scream pierced the night. Another. He turned and ran to the door she had just entered. He went to her door to make sure she was safe. The door was ajar and he looked inside. She was on the floor bleeding from her nose. Her room had been trashed. Drawers were opened and her clothes strewn on the floor. Tables were overturned. A lamp lay broken, its shade smashed. Taking all of this in, he went to her side. “Becky, are you all right? What happened?” he asked franctically.”
“There was someone in here when I walked in. He said, “We don’t need any female lawyers”, then he hit me in the face and ran out. Did you see him?”
“No one came out the front. I’ll check the back,” he said and started out.
“No, wait, don’t leave me. He might still be in the building. I’ll be okay, I’m just scared,” she said.
“We need to report this to the police tonight,” he said. “They may have a chance to catch whoever it was.”
“We can use the telephone in the parlor,” she said. “They just installed it about a month ago. Papa pays extra so I can have access.”
“I don’t know how to use one. I’ve seen them on campus, but never used one. Come show me.”
Together, they went to the phone mounted on the wall. “You just crank the handle and when Central answers, you just tell her you want the police. It’s really simple. Papa has one on the farm so I can call them when necessary.
“I’ve heard medicine is pretty tough. It must have been hard for her to get into Tulane,” he said.
“Actually, she’s at the top of her class. It’s the attitudes of the doctors and the other students getting to her. Cassie is very outgoing, and likes people. That’s why she chose medicine. The men just don’t think medicine is a place for a woman. Would you want to be examined by a female doctor?”
“It would probably make me uncomfortable,” he said.
“See, that’s the attitude she’s up against. How do you think a woman should feel being examined by a male doctor? You don’t have to answer, I know, all doctors are males and always have been.”
“That’s not the same thing. You’re putting words into my mouth,” he said.
“Am I?” she asked. “The only difference is the roles are reversed. I run into many of the same prejudices Cassie does, but more subtle. Cassie is a lot more determined than I am. I doubt I could handle what she has to face. I don’t want to argue with you. I’ll save that for moot court.
Let’s get back to work,” she said.
“I want you to understand something, Rebecca. I think I’m falling in love with you. Don’t tell me I’m being silly. I can’t help it. When you put your hand on my arm a little while ago, it gave me the shivers. If it makes you uncomfortable, I’ll try to find another study partner.”
Two hours later, they decided they had finished analyzing the brief, and decided to call it a night. “It’s late. I’ll walk you back to your room,” Joshua said.
“That’s not necessary, Josh. I’ll be all right,” she said.
“It is necessary, as far as I’m concerned,” he said. Together they walked back to her apartment. At the steps, she turned, to kiss him on the cheek. At the same time, he turned his head and her lips touched his instead of his cheek. He pulled her to him, and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently. At first, she responded, then drew back. With his arms still around her, she leaned back. “I’m sorry,” he said. I didn’t mean to take advantage of you. It was an accident.”
“There’s no need to apologize, Josh. You’re my friend and I like you. Good night. See you in class.” She turned and went up the steps and into her building.
He turned and started to cross the street to head home. A scream pierced the night. Another. He turned and ran to the door she had just entered. He went to her door to make sure she was safe. The door was ajar and he looked inside. She was on the floor bleeding from her nose. Her room had been trashed. Drawers were opened and her clothes strewn on the floor. Tables were overturned. A lamp lay broken, its shade smashed. Taking all of this in, he went to her side. “Becky, are you all right? What happened?” he asked franctically.”
“There was someone in here when I walked in. He said, “We don’t need any female lawyers”, then he hit me in the face and ran out. Did you see him?”
“No one came out the front. I’ll check the back,” he said and started out.
“No, wait, don’t leave me. He might still be in the building. I’ll be okay, I’m just scared,” she said.
“We need to report this to the police tonight,” he said. “They may have a chance to catch whoever it was.”
“We can use the telephone in the parlor,” she said. “They just installed it about a month ago. Papa pays extra so I can have access.”
“I don’t know how to use one. I’ve seen them on campus, but never used one. Come show me.”
Together, they went to the phone mounted on the wall. “You just crank the handle and when Central answers, you just tell her you want the police. It’s really simple. Papa has one on the farm so I can call them when necessary.
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