Jane devoured her U3A classes. Literature, history, art all gave meaning to her life, especially now that she was on her own and retired from work. In a small country town opportunities to indulge in them were rare or infrequent. University of the Third Age was a breath of fresh air, classes where volunteer tutors, members of the third age themselves, shared their enthusiasm for subjects which in many cases they had been absorbed in for a lifetime. What riches to share. For retired academics, teachers, professionals, or just plain enthusiasts, designing and presenting their courses gave structure and meaning to their lives as well as to those that came to learn.
It was the joy of sharing ideas, enthusiasms, appreciation of the same quirks of language, discovering new, previously hidden, or unappreciated stories, lives, eras. So refreshing to the mind and it made one feel more alive somehow, and one class could certainly brighten a day, or more, even perhaps lead to a new interest, travel to a new place, new books, pictures. Such promise.
Promise was not always met unfortunately, and Jane had met with the odd dud. Everyone has their own wavelength. Openness to new approaches and unfamiliar ideas has its limits, perhaps more so as the years advance. Course participants would try a class with a new tutor and soon find whether they were suited or not. As in life, if they were really suited they wanted more. "Are you going to offer another class next year?" and comments like, "My friend Julie said I would enjoy your class." indicated that the new tutor was appreciated and being talked about positively, and eventually they might get a "following".
After a couple of weeks of attending his first class Jane felt that she might be becoming one of Andrew's followers, rather speedy for her. Could this quality and freshness be maintained for the full duration of the course? Jane found herself looking forward to Wednesday afternoons, and going home with her mind buzzing with words and ideas. Andrew was an enthusiastic presenter, loved words and loved sharing passages that he loved, and loved it even more when people in the class loved them too. Often this would be indicated by smiles, or quiet sighs of satisfaction from his audience.
After a few weeks of looking out at a sea of faces, many of them showing such signs of satisfaction and connection, Andrew noticed Jane. She was younger than many of those present, perhaps sixty, concentrating intently, and smiling happily and knowingly, when the same things that excited him excited her. As the weeks passed Jane appeared regularly in the same seat, with the same wry smile, and he found himself beginning to look at her to see whether she was approving the "pearls" that he most wanted to be appreciated. And she was. There were certainly others in the group who were attending and smiling as regularly, but he was not noticing them.
Jane found herself looking forward more and more to Andrew's classes. Besides his words and ideas, she was beginning to appreciate other things about him, his gentle shy smile, his soft cultured voice, even his taste in shirts. As the weeks ran on she began to think about Andrew more and more, particularly as their glances seemed to meet more often and more meaningfully. By this point, unbeknown to each other, both of them were beginning to have the same thoughts. A mixture of quiet excitement and uncertainty. Both were not as self assured as perhaps they should have been, and both were feeling that the other being so relatively desirable it was unlikely that they were going to be available to, much less interested in, them.
So when Jane stayed behind after the penultimate class, Andrew was taking deep breaths and composing himself.
"I just wanted to tell you that I've really enjoyed your class, and I was wondering whether you were going to offer another next year?" Jane had rehearsed these words carefully and tried to present them in a neutral way without a flicker of flirtation. She wasn't bold enough for that.
"Thank you, it's nice to know that someone has enjoyed it." Andrew said with his shy smile. "Actually, I have been thinking about offering something else along the same lines. That's of course if anyone is interested."
"Well, I certainly would be, and judging from comments and discussions in the coffee break I'm sure you would get quite a few from this group at least."
Andrew was a bit taken aback, "Do you really think so?"
"Yes, I'm quite sure of it, you really make it all so interesting and give everyone a lot to think about."
"Thank you," said Andrew, looking rather bewildered, "I've noticed how much you seem to enjoy the class and find the same things as I do profound or amusing or whatever - we usually seem to be on the same wavelength!"
"Yes, I thought that too," said Jane, a little more emboldened, and with a knowing smile. "Look, sorry, I've got to go, I live with my mother and she has early dementia and I don't like to leave her on her own for too long."
"Don't let me hold you up, and thanks so much for the positive feedback. Perhaps I will offer that class!" Andrew's eyes gleamed and he hoped he didn't betray his elation too much.
In the nature of these things, serendipity often steers the course. It was not long before Andrew found himself browsing in the local bookshop when a voice behind him brought him back to the moment.
"Hello!"
Andrew turned, "Oh Jane, hello, how are you?" he said, with more feeling than perhaps was called for.
"Fine thanks, have you thought any more about another class?"
"I have actually, thanks to your prompting, and I have a few ideas." He paused. "Hey, you wouldn't have time for a coffee to kick them around with me would you?"
This was a bit sudden for Jane. But her heart leapt and she decided for once to follow it. "Yes, fine, I'd be pleased to help, especially if it means another class!"
Over coffee, the ice broken, Andrew began to talk animatedly about his ideas for the new course. Slowly, together, they began to shape it. Andrew was surprised how useful Jane's suggestions were and how perceptive she seemed to be.
"How did you come to know about that!" he enquired.
"Well I taught English at the local independent school, that's what brought me out of London to this area 15 years ago when my marriage broke up."
"Really? I was an English teacher too for a while, then I went into journalism because I wanted to spend more time writing. Latterly I've been freelance, though I don't do much work these days. Like you, I guess, I moved out of the rat race seeking country calm after my wife died a few years back, but my children are still in London."
An hour of life story sharing and finding much common ground ensued, both parties being considerably emboldened by the process.
"Wow! The time's got away, I really need to go, can't leave Mum for too long! I've really enjoyed our chat!"
"Thanks for your suggestions about the course, although all that seemed to get forgotten as we shared more about ourselves. I'd like to talk some more about it. Could you get away one lunch time for a meal somewhere? We could drive out into one of the villages?"
"That would be lovely, when are you free?'
"How about Friday, I'll pick you up if you give me the address."
Friday took an inordinately long time to arrive and when it did the morning seemed to extend into an eternity, but at last there was a knock on the door.
"I thought we'd drive out to the Marlborough Arms at Welford, should be fairly quiet at this time of year?"
