In high school, Emily excels in math and falls in love with biology. For chemistry and physics, she often goes to her biology teacher for outside help and resources. Emily’s high school career is defined by studiousness and taking care of “her” baby. She feels that her life is full and satisfying, and has little need for social recognition. She’s an aide for the biology teacher, who writes a glowing letter of recommendation that is the deciding factor in Emily’s acceptance into vet school.
Like the rest of the Mayfield children, Emily attends the University of Florida in Gainesville. Her baccalaureate degree is pre-vet, major in biology, and minor in zoology. In Gainesville, Emily meets Stuart L. McGregor in freshman English composition class. Stuart excels in English, loves language and literature and poetry and music—all subjects Emily has never found particularly interesting when compared with the way bodies and life work. Stuart’s perspective is that language and poetry and music ARE life.
Emily and Stuart run into each other at the library, doing beginning research on a paper for their English class. Recognizing each other from class, they strike up a conversation. Emily allows as how she is having the devil of a time in this composition class, and Stuart allows as how he loves this stuff. They become a study group of two during their freshman year of English composition. The next year Emily tutors Stuart through biology. Stuart “needs” lots of biological tutoring, as it turns out. Emily and Stuart are an accepted duo on campus, Emily in her long braids and Stuart in his Afro.
Stuart lives above a garage in a little apartment that smells of gasoline. Emily can visit there to study, and Stuart often comes to the Mayfield house, where he visits long hours with Robert and Suzanna, when not studying with Emily. Stuart understands Jerry’s middle name and Suzanna appreciates that. At his apartment, Stuart plays opera records while he and Emily study. Emily doesn’t mind, but also doesn’t understand why Stuart is so crazy about opera.
In exchange for the biology lessons, Stuart teaches Emily about opera. He is a good teacher and she is an apt pupil. She develops a passion for opera that is close to that of Stuart’s. Forever, opera and Stuart are one in Emily’s mind.
A touring opera is brought to the University. Stuart invites Emily to come with him, with the warning that she has to dress up for opera. The performance is “Carmen.” This night, Emily’s life blossoms with a fierceness that is explosive. In the passion of the opera she loses her practical self and meets her own heart’s romance. She realizes that she is madly in love with Stuart. Her imagination fills in everything that is implied on the stage and transfers it straight to her own life. The night continues for Stuart and Emily long after the curtain has fallen onstage. In a single night, Emily finds her imagination, her passion, and the love of her life.
(continued)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment