The Invisible Heart: An Economic Romance

Laura pauses in the administrative office of the school on her lunch break. She happens to see a folder with Sam’s name and a memo with ominous wording; “Decision by the Board” and “Opportunity for Appeal” (91). She worries for Sam, even though they disagree on a lot, she thinks he’s a good person and hopes he’ll be able to keep his job.

It’s a warm day for early March, and Laura decides to eat outside. She sees Sam reading a book and sits to join him. He asks about her teaching, to avoid economics as a discussion topic. She tells him she’s teaching “Ulysses” by Tennyson, and he asks her to read it to him. She gives him a quick background rooted in Greek mythology, specifically The Odyssey, and the concept of Elysium as opposed to Hades, which prompts Sam to ask about Cerberus—impressing Laura with some of his non-economics knowledge. Then she reads him the last two stanzas of the poem, which enchant him. Laura is uncomfortable with the sudden intimacy of the moment and recalls the Ritz-Carlton motto he’d told her in their previous conversation. Sam resists the temptation to return to policy and economics. He says he needs to get to a meeting with the principal.