Opportunity Lost--SPN Fic
Title: Opportunity Lost
Author: borgmama1of5
Wordcount: 600
Pairing: None
Spoilers: After the Pilot
Rating: G
Beta: sandymg
Disclaimer: Not mine. If they were I'd let them be happy.
Inspired by the spnquotefic com: 2.01 In My Time of Dying
Dean: Look, I'm sure you've heard this before, but... you've gotta make an exception, you've gotta cut me a break.
Opportunity Lost
Professor Bernstein stood up to shake the young woman’s hand as the interview ended, as did his interviewing partner, Professor Wallingford. They waited until they could hear her good-bye to the student receptionist before speaking.
“You liked her.” After two years interviewing prospects together, Bernstein could read the signs.
“For someone from a privileged background, Melissa seems pretty grounded. And she looked decent on paper before she even came in.”
Bernstein snorted. “She reminded me of that chick in Legally Blonde.”
Rose shook her head. “I’m not even going to tell you how sexist that sounded, Alfred. But I am going to have a very hard time wrapping my head around the picture of you watching that movie.”
“Daughter made me see it. Being that it was about law school, and professors …” Alfred’s voice trailed off.
“Well,” Rose gathered all the papers from the application, “Where do you want to put this one? I’m leaning toward an eight, maybe eight point five.”
Alfred knew that by his admissions partner’s standards, this student was probably going to be admitted into the Stanford Law Program.
Not having a strong opinion to the contrary, he nodded.
“Who’s next?”
Wallingford lifted the next folder from the pile. “Oh, this is the one I want to talk to. Winchester. You read his essay?”
Alfred thought for a moment. “Is he the one with transcripts from a dozen different high schools?” High school transcripts were irrelevant by the time a student had done four years of Pre-Law, but Alfred remembered one of the faculty recommendation letters making a point to mention the disadvantages Winchester had overcome to get into Stanford.
“Yes, he appears to be as far from privileged as one can get. And he pulled 174 on the LSATS. But I was most impressed with the logic in his analysis of the proposition that justice should not always be blind.”
“Hmm, I think I remember that.” Alfred shuffled through the application pages. “Yes, I remember being surprised that he actually presented both sides of the argument with equal consideration. On the merit of his paperwork alone, he’s pretty close to a ten on my scale.”
Rose did a double-take. “You never say a student is that high without meeting him or her.”
Alfred cleared his throat. “I confess that Winchester’s name has been brought to my attention by a couple of our colleagues. Charlie Bristol didn’t think his letter of recommendation was glowing enough. Said there was something about the boy’s intensity … it should be interesting to meet him.”
“You ready?”
Alfred nodded, and Rose pressed the intercom.
“Grace? You can send Mr. Winchester in now.”
“I’m sorry, Professor Wallingford, but he’s not here yet.”
“He was scheduled for eleven, wasn’t he?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And he hasn’t contacted the office?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Well then, let us know when the eleven-forty-five interview arrives.” Rose clicked off the intercom with a sigh.
Alfred put the application back in the folder and shook his head. “Damn shame when a prospect who looks so promising on paper doesn’t live up to his hype.”
Rose frowned. “Something must have happened? We could let him reschedule if ...”
“Rose, the rules are in place for a reason.” Alfred’s voice was low but final. “Whatever it was, Mr. Winchester chose not to be here at his appointed time. That tells us all we need to know.”