[ The question is punctuated by a brief slide and tap of Stephen's fingers over the table that Matt is currently sat at, but he doesn't yet sit, waiting for confirmation like polite people should. He's heard of the guy, of course -- Stephen is nothing if not aware of the more interesting names around the university -- and a blind pre-law student is definitely the sort to pop up on his radar.
He'd been surprised to see the ad for a reader put up by him on the on-line bulletin board, but had supposed it as good a time as any to get to know the man behind the name.
(And if he'll be perfectly honest, the man is a little cute.) ]
Hi. I'm Stephen Strange, [ with a reputation of his own, he's sure -- the full ride scholarship kid who overloads on units and holds the only tutorial sessions for science classes that absolutely guarantee As ] I messaged you two days ago?
[ He's been listening to the quiet but deliberate approach, suspicion already aroused that this is the student who'd answered his ad. Or rather, one of the students, but so far Matt hasn't had a lot of luck finding anyone who's actually serious about the job. Most of those responding have either been under the misconception that it was a veiled personal ad, or it turned out they were looking for easy money and weren't that into the idea of actually, you know, reading to him.
The name was familiar to him, not a student from his own intended field, but one well known around the study circles. Matt wonders how Strange intends to find time in his schedule for something like this. ]
Nice to meet you, too. Please. [ He gestures toward a chair and removes the earbud he'd been using to listen to a lecture he'd recorded. ] I admit I was surprised to have a med student message me. Trying to get yourself down to only two hours of sleep a night?
[ Stephen sits across Matt for the whole conversational aspect of it, not really caring if Matt can't strictly see him. The messenger bag on his shoulder is gently lowered to the floor, and then he laces his fingers together and rests the heels of his palm on the top of the table. ] And -- you know, it's still just pre-med.
I appreciate the concern, though. That already makes you one of my favourite employers.
Or [ he waves a hand ] potential employers. I don't mean to be presumptuous.
[ The casual...not arrogance, but self-assuredness, he supposes, is already endearing. Matt grins, closing his laptop and pushing it to the side so he can focus on the man sitting across from him. ]
I think you absolutely meant to be presumptuous, but that's okay. You're already my favorite applicant.
[ And not only because Stephen is so far also the only competent one. He has a pleasant voice, and calm demeanor. Probably useful traits for a doctor. ]
So tell me why you're interested in the job, beyond the fact that it pays.
[ I just wanted to meet you sounds too much like a come on. Stephen tilts his head, brows furrowing. ] Is "I like the sound of my voice" too arrogant to say? [ He dismisses that with a brief chuckle. ]
No, I [ leaning in with a bit more ease, he looks into the shades across from him ] already do a lot of reading out loud for my tutorial students. You know: portions of textbooks, relevant academic papers, the whole shebang.
It's just nice to think I'll have someone I'll be sure is actually listening for once. [ His fingers rub against each other ever so slightly. ] And I'm guessing there aren't audio books for everything, much less any of the unpublished works we have in the university.
A damn shame, really. I'd say the papers the law department churns out aren't half-bad.
[ He laughs out loud, because it's absolutely an arrogant thing to say, but the self-awareness softens it enough to make it kind of...cute? Yeah, a little cute.
But Stephen makes a good case for himself, and Matt is already inclined to give him the job. ]
You're not wrong about that. And it's even harder to find braille editions of most of the material I need.
[ Cocking his head, he doesn't hide his surprise at Stephen's familiarity with writings generated outside his own department. ] Is it a hobby of yours to read the dissertations produced by other departments, or did you just read up in hopes of impressing me?
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@avocadoiuvenis | college au
[ The question is punctuated by a brief slide and tap of Stephen's fingers over the table that Matt is currently sat at, but he doesn't yet sit, waiting for confirmation like polite people should. He's heard of the guy, of course -- Stephen is nothing if not aware of the more interesting names around the university -- and a blind pre-law student is definitely the sort to pop up on his radar.
He'd been surprised to see the ad for a reader put up by him on the on-line bulletin board, but had supposed it as good a time as any to get to know the man behind the name.
(And if he'll be perfectly honest, the man is a little cute.) ]
Hi. I'm Stephen Strange, [ with a reputation of his own, he's sure -- the full ride scholarship kid who overloads on units and holds the only tutorial sessions for science classes that absolutely guarantee As ] I messaged you two days ago?
It's nice to meet you. Can I sit down?
no subject
The name was familiar to him, not a student from his own intended field, but one well known around the study circles. Matt wonders how Strange intends to find time in his schedule for something like this. ]
Nice to meet you, too. Please. [ He gestures toward a chair and removes the earbud he'd been using to listen to a lecture he'd recorded. ] I admit I was surprised to have a med student message me. Trying to get yourself down to only two hours of sleep a night?
no subject
[ Stephen sits across Matt for the whole conversational aspect of it, not really caring if Matt can't strictly see him. The messenger bag on his shoulder is gently lowered to the floor, and then he laces his fingers together and rests the heels of his palm on the top of the table. ] And -- you know, it's still just pre-med.
I appreciate the concern, though. That already makes you one of my favourite employers.
Or [ he waves a hand ] potential employers. I don't mean to be presumptuous.
no subject
I think you absolutely meant to be presumptuous, but that's okay. You're already my favorite applicant.
[ And not only because Stephen is so far also the only competent one. He has a pleasant voice, and calm demeanor. Probably useful traits for a doctor. ]
So tell me why you're interested in the job, beyond the fact that it pays.
no subject
No, I [ leaning in with a bit more ease, he looks into the shades across from him ] already do a lot of reading out loud for my tutorial students. You know: portions of textbooks, relevant academic papers, the whole shebang.
It's just nice to think I'll have someone I'll be sure is actually listening for once. [ His fingers rub against each other ever so slightly. ] And I'm guessing there aren't audio books for everything, much less any of the unpublished works we have in the university.
A damn shame, really. I'd say the papers the law department churns out aren't half-bad.
no subject
But Stephen makes a good case for himself, and Matt is already inclined to give him the job. ]
You're not wrong about that. And it's even harder to find braille editions of most of the material I need.
[ Cocking his head, he doesn't hide his surprise at Stephen's familiarity with writings generated outside his own department. ] Is it a hobby of yours to read the dissertations produced by other departments, or did you just read up in hopes of impressing me?