Office Hours, Saturday, 10/3

[tyler_gone]

Tyler was in his office, and more than a little curious about what this year's crop of parents might be like.

He'd fill the time until anybody showed up by trying to read the xkcd archives.

Comments

[tyler_gone]

"I am," Tyler acknowledged. She was a little older than him, but very pretty, so she got a smile. "Are you a guest?"

[itwaslogical.livejournal.com]

"I am. Amanda Grayson, I'm Spock's mother," she said, coming forward with her hand out to shake his. "How is he doing in your class? He said he was enjoying it, even if it's not what he's used to."

[tyler_gone]

"Nice to meet you, Amanda," Tyler said. "And Spock is brilliant at the hard science stuff. He gets a little .... fuzzy when we're being looser."

He cocked his head. "You do not look much like him, I have to say."

[itwaslogical.livejournal.com]

"Fuzzy how? Uncomfortable?" Amanda checked, then nodded, used to this and unphased. "Yes, Spock looks much more like his father. The Vulcan physical genes were much more dominant in him than the human ones were."

[tyler_gone]

"Uncomfortable," Tyler confirmed. "If he doesn't think a class exercise makes sense, he gives me this look like I've lost my mind."

He nodded at the rest of what she said. "Oh, okay. He hadn't mentioned" -- vague waving of the hands -- "any of that."

[itwaslogical.livejournal.com]

"Good. He needs to have his assumptions challenged." Amanda gave Tyler a very slightly mischievous smile. "Vulcans are collectively brilliant, rational scientists, Mr. Durden. But they have trouble thinking outside the box. It's not that my son can't imagine new approaches, but he doesn't understand why you'd follow up on them. He's been told his whole life that logic and proven methodology is the only way. I wanted him to have the chance to be, well. Looser." Her smile turned a little sadder. "And no, I wouldn't expect he'd mention that he's half human and half Vulcan. He would deny it, but... it's made life difficult for him, sometimes."

[tyler_gone]

"Tyler is fine," Tyler told her absently, as he listened to the rest of what she had to say.

"Sounds like this school might be good for him," he speculated. "It's ... a lot easier on the oddball kids than most places. Everybody's weird so no one is, y'know?"

He wondered how a human woman had ended up marrying a Vulcan, but that seemed a tiny bit personal as a question.

[itwaslogical.livejournal.com]

"Tyler, then. And please call me Amanda." She nodded, looking hopeful. "Vulcan is very strict, with very high standards, socially and academically. And Spock has lived up to those standards. But they're a very homogenous people. More variation, as there is here-- well, it can't hurt, can it?" Amanda smiled wryly. "Even if Spock thinks everyone here is crazy. I hope you won't take it personally."

[tyler_gone]

"Please, a lot of humans think I'm crazy." Tyler said. Probably because he was, but -- details. "I'll try to challenge your son, at least a little."

[itwaslogical.livejournal.com]

"That would be very much appreciated." Amanda smiled more widely. "Anything else I should know? Or that you'd like to ask me? It's such a pleasure to talk to teachers who don't sum up his progress with 'he is proceeding satisfactorily, and is achieving at the upper end of the classroom population' for a change."

[tyler_gone]

"I wish I could come up with more to tell you, but nothing's jumping out at me," Tyler said. "He's a smart kid, though. You must be proud."

[itwaslogical.livejournal.com]

"I am. He always makes me proud." Worried and sometimes frustrated too. But proud, always. "It's been very nice speaking with you, Tyler. I hope Spock's father can make it to the next Parent's Weekend, so he'll have the chance to talk with you too."

[tyler_gone]

"I should still be here," Tyler said. "Thanks for stopping in, Amanda. Here's my card in case you want to stay in touch."