"Humans are very good at anthropomorphizing," Dr Simons continued, "It is why we can sit and watch the clouds pass by overhead and see the shape of a lion, or an elephant, or the face of a person."
Kathy sat a few rows back in the amphitheater like classroom and watched Dr Simons move with his slow, casual confidence, his dark black curly hair and full beard framing his face that none of the other men... none of the other boys on campus possessed.
"It's why with just two dots," Dr Simons said and picked up a black dry erase marker and made two fist size dots on the whiteboard that stretched across the full width of the stage, "and a line you can convey the impression of a face."
Kathy smiled at the smiley face Dr Simons had just drew with the addition of a curved line below the two dots.
"Or..." Dr Simons added as he quickly erased the curved line and drew an arch beneath the two dots, "An emotion."
Kathy blinked when she realized that she was frowning at the frown emoji on the whiteboard.
"Anger," Dr Simons continued by adding two small lines slanting inward above the two dots.
"Surprise," Dr Simons said as he erased the two 'eyebrows' and frown from the face and replaced it with a circle.
"Human evolution has driven the brain to pick up on the slightest hints about another individuals emotional state and try to extrapolate what that person's thoughts and intent may be," Dr Simons said as he replaced the dry erase marker and turned back to the class, "Is he pissed at me, possibly even pissed enough to try to do me harm.
"Is she attracted to me, possibly even attracted enough to have sex with me."
Kathy's stomach fluttered and she felt her face flush as it seemed Dr Simons pale blue eyes picked her out of all the other students and stared into her eyes before his gaze swept over the rest of the class. Kathy wondered how good Dr Simons was at reading those hints as she stared at his broad shoulders and the muscles of his chest visible beneath the tight athletic shirts he always seemed to wear during his lectures. Kathy could feel the tingling between her thighs and spread her legs a little wider, the cool air caressing the bare, shaved skin of her mound beneath her miniskirt without doing a thing to cool the heat that was building there. Again Dr Simons glance seemed to linger for just a few extra moments on her when he walked past, his eyes seeming to flicker down to what Kathy had exposed for him to see.
"We are so good at it that the human brain makes mistakes by seeing those ques, those subtle hints in inanimate objects," Dr Simons continued after glancing away from Kathy, "Clouds passing by overhead, simple dots and lines on a page, or even a half glimpsed shape in the fog at night, a curtain blowing with the draft of an open window, a sound barely heard and interpreted as voices to faint to be understood.
"Ghosts and apparitions are real," Dr Simons lectured on, "Just as real as the human subconscious and belief in the mystic and paranormal."
The rest of the two hour Psychology lecture seemed to fly by as Kathy tried to concentrate on taking notes and not the occasional looks from Dr Simons that seemed to be only for her. Finally Dr Simons glanced at the clock over the door to the auditorium and then back at the class with a smile.
"All right everyone, I think we're at a good stopping point," Dr Simons announced, "Remember to have your papers turned in by next Wednesday please."
There was a good natured groan as everyone began to stand and gather up belongs while Kathy took her time slipping her notes into her oversized purse. Most of the people had already left with only a handful still remaining when Kathy glanced down at the stage and felt her heart skip a beat when she found Dr Simons staring up at her. With a deep breath to steady her nerves and a quick smile Kathy hurried down to the floor of the lecture hall.
"Is there something you wanted to ask Ms Alvord?" Dr Simons asked as soon as Kathy approached.
"Oh, ah, I'm just Kathy," Kathy said and realized she was blushing as she clutched her purse to her chest.
"Kathy, then," Dr Simons said with a smile and a glance as the last two people left the lecture hall and the door closed behind them.
