Picture Sketch #3 - Thames Stroll

Arm in arm, Pamela and Robert talk together as they make their way along the Thames in London.

Pam and Rob have only one lecture each on Wednesday mornings—then they meet for their afternoon stroll along the Thames.  Regardless of the weather, they eat their lunch at the university cafeteria, board the District Line train at South Kensington, get off at Westminster, walk together along the Thames south embankment, then finish the afternoon with a beer at their favourite pub, The White Swan, just off Vauxhall Bridge Road.

Both are tenured professors at Imperial College, Pamela in Biochemistry and Robert in Electrical Engineering.  They have both earned the right to be addressed as ‘Doctor’.

Each lost their spouse six years ago, in 1958—Pam’s to cancer and Rob’s to heart disease.  The loneliness during those first years on their own was painful, but they focussed on their university work to keep busy.

Three years ago, they were both attending a large seminar at the university on ways to improve lectures using new presentation tools.  At one point, they broke out into smaller work groups to discuss how the new lecture methods could be used.  Pam and Rob ended up in the same group and found that they had similar ideas for lecturing.

It didn’t take long for them to feel an attraction for each other and after the seminar was finished, Rob suggested that they have supper together—their relationship started that day at the White Swan pub.

Over the last few years they’ve become close friends.  They still each live in their own digs, but their spare time is filled with many hours together—their love for each other obvious.  Their students speak of them as being a ‘quaint’ and ‘cute’ couple, but most think the professors’ dedication to each other is wonderful.  Often some of their students join them at the White Swan for after class chats.

Life is good for Pamela and Robert these days.