Provenance (eBook)

A Cautionary Tale

William G. Stevenson (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2022 | 1. Auflage
456 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
978-1-6678-7383-1 (ISBN)

Infos

Dr. Josh Paulson is a social anthropologist at Cornell University in Ithaca New York and has written several books on the evolution of the social structures of early hominid societies. He promotes the concept that the current problems in modern human societies stem from the social structures from several millions of years ago. His lectures and books have attracted the attention of a group of right-wing, anti-evolution evangelicals who feel compelled to punish Paulson for his beliefs. He cultivates a friendship with Anna, a graduate student at Cornell. Both he and Anna have strong feelings for each other, but Paulson holds his feels in check due to his strict rules about student/teacher relationships and a tragedy he suffered ten years earlier.

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Dr. Josh Paulson spent most of his academic career reading social anthropological books and journals, researching and analyzing ancient civilizations. In his master's thesis, he theorized that human cultures are products of thousands of years of social evolution in which social structures changed as human beings evolved physically and mentally. His interest in social evolution led him to dig deeper into the fields of social and physical anthropology gleaning glimpses of the archives of prehistoric human societies four million years ago. He presented several hypotheses in his doctoral dissertation linking modern social structures to the rudimentary tribal social structures of our most ancient ancestors. His publications, classroom lectures, and seminars all reinforce the concept that our early hominid ancestors adapted and survived with the help of their emerging language. With language comes the ability to think and to communicate. Language also gave our ancestors the capacity to develop tribal customs and norms. A key element in his theory involved the concept that somewhere along the time line of human social evolution several social traditions emerged, evolved, and eventually became an intricate part of the social institutions of modern societies. In ancient tribal groups, an individual-usually by means of brute force-assumed a position of power over the tribe. A younger, stronger hunter took over the leadership of the hunters and gatherers and was responsible for protecting the tribe from predators. Storytellers fabricated myths to explain natural phenomenon with the creation of deities. Over hundreds of thousands of years, tribal communities flourished in the lush tropical zone of Africa. Interactions between tribes ushered in the concept of commerce as trading food, shelter, and other tribal members became a common practice. Paulson asserts that greed and the pursuit of power tainted the evolution of those four early social structures, allowing the leaders of those structures to exploit and brutalize tribal members. He argues that those social structures continued to evolve into complex institutions that are responsible for the dystopian American society of his world, because the practice of exploiting and manipulating tribal members has always remained an intricate part of the fabric of each institution. Paulson quickly rises in popularity on the guest lecture circuit of the scientific community. However, unknown to him, he has also attracted the attention of a far-right anti-evolution sect, corrupt legislators, and powerful corporate executives. Those people are afraid Paulson may eventually arouse the ire of the masses resulting in social unrest and upheaval. The anti-evolutionists, led by Abraham-an evangelical fanatic-carefully monitor Paulson's activities-especially his seminars-and begin planning a strategy to punish Paulson for blasphemy. Even though Paulson is engaged to Leslie, a wealthy South Hamptons socialite, when Anna Metcalf, a second year graduate student at Cornell University, asks Paulson to be her graduate advisor, a close bond immediately develops between them. Paulson's strict policy against dating students keeps his feelings in check. However, his overly possessive fiance repeatedly accuses him of having an affair with the graduate student. Leslie' suspicions lead her to stalk Paulson while her obsessions erode her already fragile mental stability. Her parents, knowing that Leslie has the potential to harm herself and others, commit her to a mental health facility. Paulson moves to Harvard to take a position as an Associate Professor of Sociology. His popularity as a guest lecturer prompts him to upgrade his lectures and he creates a production team to add sound and videos to his presentations. After Harvard accepts Anna as a doctoral candidate, she eagerly begins her coursework and joins Paulson's production team as a researcher and writer. Anna is not without her problems. At Cornell, she briefly dated David, a local man. She quickly realized he was a possessive narcissist. David began stalking Anna after she told him she would not continue dating him. Eighteen months of anger management and therapy did not mitigate Leslie's obsessive jealousies. Soon after her discharge from the mental health facility, she gives Paulson an ultimate to quit teaching and work for her father or she would break their engagement. After another episode of stalking Paulson, Leslie's parents commit her to a mental health facility in the Gulf of Panama for the criminally insane. With Paulson's engagement officially terminated, Anna and Paulson each plan to develop a closer relationship with each other. However, David has followed Anna to Cambridge and begins stalking and harassing her. Other, mysterious events put Paulson and his term on high alert as they prepare for a major conference. Early in his tenure at Harvard, Paulson joins with a group of academic colleagues to write a series publications and organize several rallies promoting stricter gun-control regulations. The upcoming rally in Albany, New York is the first of four planned events. The rally was a huge success for Paulson and the gun control advocates. However, most of what he says during the rally enrages Abraham and his group. During the Q and A part of the rally, Gideon-Abraham's brother-goes into a raging tirade, accusing Paulson of heresy and blasphemy. When Gideon begins ranting and raving, threatening to send Paulson to hell, officers from the Albany police department intervene and arrest him. Because of the audiences' responses to Paulson's presentation and Gideon's explosive tirade, an official with the National Rifle Association, numerous legislators-state and national-and many corporate leaders consider Paulson a serious threat to the American aristocracy.

Textauszug

Chapter 1

Alexi walked off nervous energy while waiting for the elevator. Clicking the nails of her index finger and thumb together, she paced the full thirty-foot length of the lobby. Absentmindedly reaching into her backpack in search of cigarettes, she pushed her hand around books and folders, and scooped into zippered crannies, but found no treasures. Groaning loudly, she regretted her decision to quit smoking cold turkey, a hasty choice she had made upon learning Dr. Paulson did not smoke. Wrinkling her brow and squinting her eyes, she muttered to herself, “He better damn well be worth it!”

As a new arrival at the university, Alexi had spent days familiarizing herself with the campus and surveying the male population, paying particular attention to teaching assistants and associate professors. Using Google and LinkedIn to conduct in-depth research on several candidates, she found one who actually exceeded her high standards. Social anthropology instructor Dr. Josh Paulson had earned the highest rating. For the past two weeks, Alexi had attended Dr. Paulson’s class faithfully, closely observing him and scribbling copious notes. She also devoted much of that time to dwelling on fantasies of afternoon rendezvous. The few attempts to get his attention with flirtatious smiles, however, had failed. Alexi knew that if she wanted to pursue a relationship with Dr. Paulson, she must take an understated but direct approach.

Caution and subtlety highlighted the key points in her agenda. Alexi had to take time to cultivate a trusting, warm relationship with Dr. Paulson while providing pleasurable benefits to ensnare him. She wanted to prevent another embarrassing disaster like her last attempt, which had ended as a miserable fiasco resulting only in a sullied reputation and a deflated ego. She realized too late that she had acted too hastily and too aggressively. Determined to avoid taking the role of the aggressive, demanding bitch as described by her latest affair, she had recast herself as a sweet, shy graduate student looking for a strong, stable man to marry.

The ping of the elevator jolted her back to the present. Pushing the button for the fourth floor, she leaned against the wall and with a sigh wrapped herself once again in deep thought, preparing her character.

Standing in front of Dr. Paulson’s office door, Alexi slid her hands over her waist and hips, smoothing her lightweight cotton dress. Acutely aware of the pleasing shape and firmness of her body, with a seductive whisper, she said to herself, “How can he possibly resist this lovely package of pleasure?” She smiled and her eyes fluttered with anticipation.

She knocked, stood back away from the door almost up against the opposite wall, and clasped her hands behind her buttocks. With a tilt of her head, she waited for Dr. Paulson to open his door and see her beckoning smile.

“Come in. The door is unlocked.”

“Crap,” she said under her breath and stood up straight, taking the coy smile from her face and replacing it with a wholesome smile. She wanted to do something to get his undivided attention, but nothing reasonable or respectable readily came to mind as she opened the door.

Dr. Paulson sat at his desk opposite the door. Two comfortable-looking leather wingback chairs faced the desk. Shelves filled with books, awards, and miscellaneous memorabilia lined all but one wall. Plush carpet and dark wood paneling radiated richness worthy of an academic office.

With long, measured strides, Alexi walked into the office. Making an embellished turn, creating an almost imperceptible rustle of her dress, she slowly began to close the door.

“Please leave the door open, Ms. Masterson.”

Crap again, she thought. That’s the second deviation from my plan in about as many minutes. Just stay calm. Her agenda had called for a cozy, closed-door meeting.

“Please have a seat.” Dr. Paulson gestured to the chairs. “I’ll be with you in just a moment. I want to finish going over your files,” he said, scanning the screen of his laptop.

“Which do you prefer, Dr. Paulson?” she asked as she flashed an impish smile.

“What did you ask?” he said, looking away from his laptop.

“I asked which chair you prefer,” she repeated, seductively stroking the tops of both chairs, her eyes never leaving his.

“Oh. Actually I’m quite comfortable right here.”

Crap! Moving to the chair directly in front of Dr. Paulson, Alexi sat down and gathered her dress slightly above her knees. Resting her elbows on the arms of the chair, she watched him as he read her file. Such a handsome face. She imagined his face only inches from hers. A smile played across her lips and a faint blush highlighted her cheeks.

Dr. Paulson minimized Alexi’s academic record and pulled up her current coursework before opening his emails. “Your email said you want to discuss putting together your graduate committee.”

“That’s right,” she said, settling deep into the chair and slowly crossing her legs. “But I’m not sure how to go about it.” She smiled, watching his eyes to see if they skimmed along the contours of her well-toned, tanned legs. Instead, he casually read her email.

Crap. He’s not even looking at me. “You’re my favorite professor, so I thought I would start with you.”

“Thank you for your encouragement,” he said with an arched left eyebrow and a hint of sarcasm. “Have you spoken with any of your other professors about chairing your committee?”

“Well, you see, that’s just it. I don’t know anyone here well enough to know whom to ask. But I know I want you as my advisor.” She smiled and with fluttering eyelashes gave a shy shrug.

Josh returned to his laptop and scanned back through Alexi’s files, looking for details or comments provided by her former professors. Her records revealed an accomplished student who had graduated with a 3.5 GPA, yet, when talking with her, he did not sense the enthusiasm generally found in Cornell graduate students. So far, he had determined she had more interest in flaunting her good looks than in academic pursuits. With a frown, he turned from his laptop and leaned toward her, placing his elbows on his desk and resting his chin on his clasped hands. “And why is that?”

“Why is what?” She feigned innocence, arching her eyebrows.

“Why do you want me as your graduate advisor?” His inquiring and serious green eyes firmly fixed on her.

“Well, your class is my favorite and…uh…you give great lectures. Plus, you’re much younger than my other professors.”

He forced a smile and rubbed his temples. “Interesting prerequisite, but let’s talk about how you should select a committee. Generally, your committee should include your current professors, assuming you’ve already developed some sort of student–teacher relationship.” He turned back to his laptop. “This semester you have Dr. Franklin, Dr. Stacey, Dr. Ramsey, and me, of course.”

“Which one is which? I mean, who teaches what?”

Josh looked at Alexi over the top of his wire-framed glasses and knitted his brow, his eyes widening with disbelief. “I’m confused, Ms. Masterson. How is it possible that three weeks into the semester you do not know what your instructors teach?”

Alexi’s face paled and her eyes widened. Stunned, she sat motionless and stared at Dr. Paulson as she searched for a response. Finally, she dropped her chin and stared at the floor. “I don’t know…this has all been so demanding…I feel so overwhelmed…so confused about what I’m supposed to be doing,” she said as she released a loud sob and gathered the hem of her dress in her hands to hide her face.

Shaking his head, Josh looked back to the screen and read, “Dr. Franklin is industrial sociology, Dr. Stacey is sociological statistics, Dr. Ramsey is sociological research and design, and, of course, I hope you know who I am and what I teach.”

Alexi sat up straight and dropped the hem of the dress. “You’re Dr. Josh Paulson and you teach social anthropology,” she said enthusiastically, displaying an alluring smile.

“That’s right. Very good,” he said, trying not to sound condescending. Again, he leaned toward her. “Ms. Masterson, I don’t want to discourage you, but do you understand the rigors involved in earning a master’s degree at this university? Yes, the coursework is demanding—and will be overwhelming at times. You will have to allocate many hours to research and a whole lot more to writing a thesis.”

Frustrated, Josh decided to move away from selecting a committee for a moment. “Have you decided on a topic that can be developed into a thesis?” He leaned back, resting his elbows on the arms of the chair. Tenting his fingers then touching his index fingers to his chin, he stared directly into Alexi’s eyes.

“No, not really. There are so many interesting things out there; I’m not sure where to begin.” She looked into his eyes, hoping to see a spark of interest. She saw only his piercing green eyes. When he arched his left eyebrow, she once again searched the floor to avoid his questioning stare.

“You said there are many interesting things out there. Let’s narrow that down to just three interesting things. If you’re not sure what topics might interest you most at this precise moment, make it a top priority—over the weekend, perhaps—to come up with a list of things that do interest you.”

Her...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 23.11.2022
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• ISBN-10: 1-6678-7383-0 / 1667873830
• ISBN-13: 978-1-6678-7383-1 / 9781667873831