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“A proposition is a declaration that can be either true or false, but not both. For example, “Today is Friday” is a proposition. This statement can be true or false, but not both.” The middle aged man looked out at the students and wondered how many truly even listened to his lectures. They often took this math class as a course requirement and never thought on the subject again. They would come to class half asleep, coffee cups in hand, staring at the clock to begin their real classes. “Can someone please give me another example, so I know you are not all asleep at the wheel?” Professor Kenobi pushed his glasses up his nose, pinching it when no hands rose.
There was a rumbling in the back of the class; it was a deep and familiar voice, one that seemed to be the only person in the class that wished to learn anything. “Yes, Mister Jinn?”
“That is the sun, which burns so brightly.” The smile upon the lips of his professor made his heart once again melt. Qui-Gon had been on campus for what seemed like six long years, but they were made all the brighter for this slightly nerdy professor that had helped him through a rough time in his life.
Qui-Gon had lost his parents during his sophomore year. It was a tragic accident that left the young man lost and without purpose. He grieved for them so much that nothing could bring him out of his melancholy. He barely slept, hardly touched food and everyone at the school could see him wasting away as he attended his classes but did no work. He was dangerously close to losing everything, including his future when a new professor sat next to him on the lawn, one spring day. They sat silent for many moments, before the professor spoke softly, in a lilting Scottish accent. “It’s such a lovely day out; it’s amazing that the moon shines down on us so lovingly.”
Qui-Gon pushed his long, slightly dirty and unkempt hair from his face and looked up into the sky. “That is no moon. I thought professors were supposed to be brilliant?” The grumbled voice once again let his hair fall down to hide his face.
Ben let out a soft laugh and gently laid his hand on the broad shoulder for comfort. “No, you are right, that must be the sun. I thought you should come out of your shell to take a look. Perhaps you would have some lunch with me?” The professor knew that he should keep his distance, as he was still establishing himself on the grounds, but he couldn’t watch this soul close in on himself while everyone seemed to ignore it and let the man wither away. He offered half of a ham sandwich to him and waited patiently as the young man made up his mind if he was friend or foe.
“Thank you…” Ben watched as the he pulled his hair back and took a tiny bite, the dark circles under his eyes making him look much thinner then he probably was.
“You are welcome. You are in my statistic’s class, are you not, young Qui-Gon?” The professor started to wash his sandwich down with a spot of tea.
“For now, until I flunk.” The words were soft and barely heard.
“You know, If you try hard enough, you could probably do it, but do you think they would want you to just give up on life? Give up on the moment?” The words that he heard were anything but Scottish, he heard them in a thick Irish accent. They were the words of his Da, his Da who always told him to stop dreaming and live in the moment. Tears started to flow down his cheeks, as he covered his head to hide the emotion from the man before him.
“I’m s…sorry.” The broken words almost made his heart lurch as Ben reached across and lay his hand on the tasseled hair.
“You have nothing to be sorry for, I will make you a deal. I will defer your statistics class, but you must promise me something in return, Mr. Jinn.” The young man wiped his eyes and for the first time stared into mesmerizing blue green orbs. “Eat something, clean yourself up and take the time from my class to remember your family. Remember what they would want from you. They would not wish for you to join them, not yet.”
Qui-Gon couldn’t believe his ears, as this was the first person to really reach out to him with comfort and caring. “What did you want in return, Professor?”
“Before you graduate you will return to my class and pass the course. Not just to get it out of the way, but to truly learn something. I know you are all about biology, but sometimes math can intersect.”
It was the start of a three year friendship that Qui-Gon would never forget. They had spent many lunches together under their tree in the quad. They would debate philosophy and the finer things in life. Qui-Gon would try to get Ben to loosen up, and ditch the bowtie, try a little Bowie and live life in the moment. He couldn’t tell you the moment it happened, but he had fallen head over heels in love.
It was remembering all those moments and more, that here on the last class of the year and his final one before graduation that Qui-Gon spoke out in class. “That is the sun, which burns so brightly.” Professor Kenobi couldn’t help but laugh as the clock struck the end. “I have your finals graded and you may see the postings online. It was a pleasure to teach you all and I hope that I will see you all around campus next year.”
As the class filed out, the large room was left empty, minus the professor and his student. “I was almost certain that it was the moon, are you sure it wasn’t the sun?” Qui-Gon approached the desk and towered over the red-haired man. “I’m sure it was the sun as it burned so brightly that I could not see.”
“You have done all that I asked of you, and I am so proud that you will graduate next week.” Qui-Gon almost laughed as Ben’s cheeks seemed to light on fire. Could he be shy and embarrassed for some reason? Could he feel the same yearnings that had to wait until graduation was final?
“I made it through with thanks to you. You showed me there was still reason to move on and live in my moment. I don’t know how to ever thank you.” Qui-Gon pushed just a bit closer and looked down into the wide opened eyes of the man he had loved for many years now.
“I now have a proposition for you; it only has a yes or no answer and can have no other. Are you ready, Professor?”
“You can call me Ben now, Qui-Gon. You are no longer my student.” Ben moved just a touch closer to the large man, wanting to feel that warmth that he kept himself from for so long.
“Ben, would you have dinner with me?” The bright smile he was rewarded with said it all.
“That is a proposition I would have to say yes to. It’s one that has waited a long time, but is all the sweeter for waiting.”