…A Dangerous Thing by Bill Crider Read Free Book Online Page A

was really just around the corner from Burns's own.   There were two flights of stairs leading to the third floor, and Holt had his office at the head of the stairs opposite the flight Burns had come up.
    The door was open, and Holt was sitting at his desk, reading what looked like a comic book.   There was only one window in the office, and the late afternoon sun slanted through it, giving a mellow glow to the fluorescent lighting and casting a long shadow from the potted aloe plant that sat on the wide window sill.   The wall behind Holt was covered with lobby cards from old movie serials.   Holt had put the cards in acrylic frames, and Burns couldn't fault the man's taste.   Burns saw Linda Stirling as The Tiger Lady , George Marshall as Commander Cody in Radar Men from the Moon , Tom Tyler in his Captain Marvel suit, and Buster Crabbe in Space Soldiers Conquer the Universe .
    There was also a poster that said YOU CAN BE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO BE in big red letters on a white background.
    Burns, who at one time or another in his life had wanted to be linebacker for the Houston Oilers, to hit .400 in the major leagues, and to do brain surgery, thought the poster was pretty misleading.   His student who wanted to be a lawyer would probably have believed it, though.   Burns wondered if that was good or bad.
    While Burns was looking silently at the poster, Holt sensed his presence.   He put down the comic book and turned to look at Burns, who glanced at the title.
    " Whiz Comics ," Holt said.
    "You don't see those around much," Burns said.
    "Not in English departments," Holt said.   He laid a hand on the comic book.   "But popular culture is quite interesting.   You'd be surprised what you can learn from something like this."
    "For example?" Burns said, always willing to learn something new, especially if it came from Whiz Comics .
    Holt flipped the pages.   "You can learn a lot about prejudice, for one thing."   He stopped and put a finger on a picture.   "Look at this."
    Burns walked into the office and looked down at the comic.   Holt's finger was resting just under the figure of Steamboat Willie, Billy Batson's black serving man.   He had thick, heavy lips and pop eyes.
    "Feet don't fail me now," Burns said.
    "That's about the size of it," Holt said.
    "And that's what you're teaching in your classes?" Burns asked.   "Prejudice in popular culture?"  
    "That, among other things," Holt said.   But if you're interested, why don't you sit in some day.   You could probably add a lot to the discussion."
    "I might do that," Burns said.
    Holt closed the copy of Whiz Comics .   "I really wish you would," he said.   "I think you and I share a lot of the same interests; I'd like to get to know you better."
    Burns found himself warming to Holt, with whom he did share some interests and who certainly didn't sound like a man who had come to take over the department.   He sat down in the chair by Holt's desk.
    "We can start now," he said.   "I've been wanting to talk to you.   How have your classes been going?"
    They talked about Holt's classes and Burns told him about his developmental students.   They talked about movies and books and television, and Burns found himself liking Holt more and more.   Eventually he edged around to the real reason for his visit.
    "How is it that you wound up here?" he asked.   "Not that HGC isn't a great school, but we're not exactly known for the quality of our library or our scholarship."
    Holt patted the comic book.   "A lot of the things I write about don't require conventional research.   And for the things that do, your library is perfectly adequate.   You have a very good periodicals section, and all the important books of criticism are in the stacks.   You, or someone, has done a good job of keeping up."
    "Thanks," Burns said.   He wanted to add that Holt had not exactly answered his question, but before he could, Holt went on.
    "Going to the library here isn't exactly