Eric broke free, now smiling too. “Yeah, yeah. Hey you try doing my job. Remember I have to create original research to earn that doctorate. Original research, ha! You know what passes for original these days? Well my reasearch really is going to be original and it really will benefit a lot of people. If I ever finish it that is.”
Dan shook his head again, laughing. “Good luck with that, see you tomorrow, well if I’m up early enough,” he mocked, heading down the hall.
Eric made himself a cheap student’s dinner of noodles and leftover chicken. It was another meal spent alone. Thinking back, he couldn’t even remember the last time he ate a meal with another person. It had to have been a month at least.