"Paul Levinson - Loose Ends (2)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Levinson Paul)

"University of Edinburgh. And my specialty's really mass media
-- you know, the work of Marshall McLuhan -- rather than mass
culture." Jeff got a pang as he thought again about how he had
successfully re-cycled the cover the team had provided -- any
thought of the team brought along painful images of Rena...
"Edinburgh, yes," Atwick was talking. "Splendid mountain in
the middle of the city. You worked under Phillip MacKenzie?"
"Mackenzie? Nope, don't think I did," Jeff said, wondering
what he would say next if pressed. His credentials would after
all not stand up to anyone who knew the real Geoff Harris, or
even very long to anyone who knew someone who knew Geoff...
The sound quieted down a bit, and it occurred to Jeff that
Atwick had a familiar British accent, maybe like a surgeon he
half-remembered hearing once in a hospital...
"Of course, it's a large university--" Atwick began.
"Professor Harris, it's good to see you outside of the
classroom!" Carla joined the men. Jeff was delighted for the
intrusion.
"You know, I'm really _mad_ at you for that C+." She
batted her eyelids flirtatiously at Jeff.
"Well, Carla, if Professor Harris had graded you for good
looks, I'm sure you would have received an A+. Am I right
Jeff?"
"Absolutely," Jeff said -- thinking that, if his grasp of
history was right, in a few decades that kind of bantering could
bring both Atwick and him up on sexual harassment charges. He
shuddered. Insane days they were, at the end of the 20th
century. He'd be doing the world a big favor if the only thing
he did back here was change _that_...
"Aw, I can't stay mad at you guys, you're too charming,"
Carla mewed. "Do you believe in dancing with students, Professor
Harris? Professor Atwick has already honored me with one of his
cha-chas."
Atwick bowed. "The honor was all mine."
"Well, I'd be pleased to dance with you Carla," Jeff
laughed, "but I'm afraid these new dances are too much for me."
Carla smiled and subtly shifted her body so that her curves
were more prominent. "I was thinking of something nice and
slow."
"Well, in that case, I'd be a madman to refuse." Jeff
winked at Atwick and extended his arm to Carla. He looked in
vain for Laura as Carla escorted him to a room in which "The
Best of Johnny Mathis" played incessantly.
An hour and who knows how many red dresses later, Laura
came up behind Jeff. "Hi," she whispered in his ear and kissed
it. "Find out anything interesting?"
"Actually, yeah," Jeff said, and handed Laura a glass of
wine. "Amazing how many people seem to know the future when
you're primed to hear that in their conversation. One kid told
me that he thinks the Beachboys will go on to become second only