He knew when he saw on her paperwork that her birthday was Pi Day that she would be his third wife, his fourteenth girlfriend. Twelve years his junior, this meant they were both born in the Year of the Snake. If things went well, they could be married on 09/10/11. If they decided on a lunch break courthouse ceremony, they could be pronounced man and wife at 12:13. She would teach Math 121 while he taught 242. Children, born two years apart, would both be prime numbers at 3 and 5, 5 and 7, 11 and 13, 17 and 19, 41 and 43, 71 and 73, God willing. They would keep their personal and romantic lives discrete. They would love each other for infinity.
The Teaching Assistant and the Math Professor
art by Robinson Accola
In September 2022 SmokeLong launched a workshop environment/community christened SmokeLong Fitness. This community workshop is happening right now on our dedicated workshop site. If you choose to join us, you will work in a small group of around 15-20 participants to give and receive feedback on flash narratives—one new writing task each week.