Mara was one of my high school students. She was a cute, smiley, dedicated pupil who excelled and got accepted to a good college. I recalled giving her an A on many of her math and physics exams.
About a week before the end of her senior year, during a recess, Mara approached me and asked shyly, "Dr. Esposito, I'd like to have a 10 minute talk with you. When is the best time for you?"
"I don't think we can do it here. Is it OK to have it in Starbucks or in the food court in the mall? If we are lucky, we may find a quiet place and talk."
"That is fine. Are you free this afternoon?"
I had other plans, but I noticed Mara was anxious to discuss an important subject and postponed the errand.
We met at the Starbucks that was 2 blocks from my house. I arrived 5 minutes early and saw Mara arriving on foot. Her long brown hair was tied in a nice ponytail. She wore long pants and a simple long-sleeved blouse. As she came closer, I stood up, extended my hand to her and said, "Hi Mara, I'll go and order a drink for us. What would you like?"
"A simple latte will do, thank you."
Five minutes later, I returned to our table with her latte and my black coffee. I sat down, gazed at her, and asked, "So, what can I do for you?"
She hesitated momentarily and then blurted, "Teach, you were by far the best instructor I had in high school. I owe you my success in getting accepted to Stanford."
I was stunned, "Girl, I always knew you were good, but getting to Stanford is much more than good. Congratulations!"
"Thank you. The reason I wanted to have this talk is that getting into a good school is one thing, but excelling in university is a whole different story. I think I'll need additional help."
"What kind of help you are talking about?"
"About a year ago, you gave us a 2 hour lecture on basic astronomy. Since then, I've read about the subject and fell in love with it. My intentions are to take Physics major and from there, go to astronomy. From what I know, you have a PhD in Physics, and astronomy is a hobby of yours, right?"
I grinned, "Yes."
"I don't know if you have spare time, but I'd like you to give me private physics lessons that will help me be more successful in my first year."
I glanced at her pretty face, "Mara, why do you think you need private lessons? You are smart and will do well without them."
"You may be right, but I want to ensure better results. Getting to Stanford was a wonderful surprise, and I have no intention of blowing my chances. Your physics knowledge is amazing and more importantly, you are a fantastic teacher..."
"Mara, thanks for the compliments. I have 2 private students I tutor twice a week and can make room for another one. Is two 1.5-hour lessons a week what you had in mind? That way, we can go over your curriculum and make sure you understand and feel comfortable with the material in class."
Mara smiled, "That will be awesome. However, there is a hitch. I live with a single mother, and our money is tight. How much will the lessons cost?"
"Girl, I am not rich and never cared much about money. How much will you be comfortable paying?"
"I checked online and prices range between $30 and $70 an hour. I'll be very grateful if you charge me $30 each time..."
"$30 it is. When would you like to start?"
"The earlier, the better."
"Can we do it Tuesday and Thursday, both times starting at 6 pm?"
"Perfect. Thank you very much."
"Let me give you my cellphone and address."
She grinned, "I found out your address. I live down the road from you, probably 200 yards away. Due to the steep slope of our street, I realized I could see your house from my window."
"Good. It means you can walk to my house and won't need to drive."
I gave her my phone number. We agreed to meet on Tuesday and separated soon after.
...
Tuesday afternoon, Mara showed up on time. She seemed nervous, and I wanted to calm her down. I offered her coffee or tea. She chose green tea. I operated the kettle, and until the water boiled, I showed Mara my place. It was on top of a hill, a 2-floor, 3 bedroom house. She looked at the copied pictures obtained by the Hubble telescope I placed on my living room walls and murmured, "These photos are the reason I wish to become an astronomer." Next I took her to my bedroom, where my small telescope was aiming at the sky. She closed the distance and cheered, "Dr. Esposito, I see you are well prepared for the evening sky."
"It's not always in the bedroom, but these days both Venus and Mars can be seen close together, and I'd love to watch them."
"Great idea. I heard the best time to observe the planets will be just before morning. Do you mind if I change the direction of the telescope?"
"Go ahead. What are you trying to see?"
Mara didn't answer. She aimed the lens down, and a couple of minutes later, she called me to watch. I looked through and saw it focused on a small house downhill. She said, "That is my house."
I stared again. The house was unimpressive and had a small patch of lawn in front. A large window with closed curtains was in the middle of a yellow colored wall.
I chuckled, "I assume the window is to your bedroom. The yellow colored wall is unusual."