Chapter Text
“I can’t believe this is happening again. I was so on top of it, Matt. I told myself, this is going to be our year!”
Matt Murdock smiled at the Columbia University bookstore manager who held a Braille version of an Egyptian mythology book for a class he wasn’t taking. She had been close; he was taking a mythology course from the same professor. But Greece and Egypt were a thousand miles away and definitely didn’t have the same mythologies.
“It’s fine Andrea. And hey, at least we’re prepared for next term, right?”
She smiled at his attempt to make her feel better. He wasn’t even sure if he was taking the class next term, but he wasn’t going to tell her that when she was so upset. Matt noticed a familiar heartbeat on the other side of the store as Andrea waited for her slow computer to tell her just how long his actual textbook would take. She muttered under her breath and he knew she didn’t have good news.
Andrea pursed her lips. “I’m sorry Matt… It looks like it’s going to take at least two weeks.”
“It’s certainly an improvement on the last time,” Matt said honestly. “That may be too long, though, Andrea. Is there an audiobook or something?”
The woman nodded quickly as she searched again. She sighed. “It doesn’t say. How about I find out and I’ll call you when I get more information. I might find another way.” Matt nodded. “Just let me know. Thanks, Andrea.” He grabbed the textbook he had brought up and took it back to the shelf where she stood, correct textbook in hand.
He didn’t know it, but someone was already smiling over seeing him again.
“Looks like you'll be ahead this term, Page.” He said as he put the book back on the shelf where she was standing.
“That was the plan. But why are you backing down?” Karen said confidently. Karen and Matt had been in Western Civilization spring term. They had battled between being numbers one and two in the class standings, usually by a margin of a couple of points on tests. If a question was asked, the class looked to both of them, whose hands were always in the air. This was one of their last pre-requisites in their undergrad and they happened to be scheduled during the same time yet again, but they didn’t know that yet.
He shrugged his shoulders. “They ordered the wrong book for me.” Karen’s face went from cocky to sad. She couldn’t get over how he seemed almost nonchalant for someone whose life had obviously been impeded yet again when his other classmates never had any issues.
It didn’t matter how early he figured out his classes or ordered his books, something always fell through the cracks. He felt bad for Andrea, who tried her hardest to stay ahead of the problem, but she had a lot on her plate already.
Karen dropped her book back on the shelf and surprised him. “Well that is unacceptable,” she said angrily. She typed the ISBN into her phone and searched for the book on her favorite textbook site. Matt stood with a confused look on her face as she murmured. “Greek Mythology by... hmmm.. Why is this book 20 years old?”
“That class is taught by Dr. Tate." Matt said without elaborating.
Dr Tate was one of the few professors who tried to save her students money by ordering older editions of their books despite angry conversations with the head of her department. Several of Matt’s other professors went as far as making their students' order books they’d written themselves. Matt appreciated Dr. Tate’s efforts, but he always had to pay more than anyone anyway, so it didn’t really matter.
“Oh,” Karen said in understanding. She’d always appreciated the discount, but like most people, she didn’t see how that affected students with disabilities. “Well, I’m not finding a Braille edition or an audiobook for this. This really sucks, Matt.”
“It’s fine,” he shrugged. “The information is probably online.” He’d done that before as a stopgap until he received yet another late book but he ended up doing twice the amount of work and studying way more information than was covered. “Or I can sign up for another course and take mythology next term,” Matt lied. He knew the likelihood of getting materials for another class was just as slim. Maybe slimmer.
Karen hunched her shoulders as she placed her phone back into her pocket. She seemed to be sad by that idea, but he didn’t know why. Maybe she was just more empathetic than most. “Well don’t do that…” Karen opened the book and started flipping through pages to find the end of the first chapter. She nodded. “I have an idea.”
Matt was intrigued. “An idea about what?”
She pulled her phone back out of her pocket and went through her contacts. “Is your email ‘[email protected]?’”
“Yeah,” he said as he waited for some kind of explanation.
She typed something into her phone and put it back into her pocket. “Don’t give up yet, Murdock. I’ll figure something out.”
He stood with his mouth open, intending to say something but failing miserably. She patted him on the shoulder and turned on her heel, books in hand and paid for her materials at the counter.