Page 1 of Love on the Byline

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Then

“It’s impossible.” Blake Dillon sat back in her chair, darkeyes flashing with irritation as she stared down Professor Crosby. “And, to me,it seems to be rooted in privilege.”

Ollie’s heart beat hard with unnamed emotion, as it alwaysdid when he was near her, especially when she was fired up about something shebelieved in.

At the front of the room, Professor Crosby leaned againsthis desk, his arms folded, and regarded Blake with his steely gaze. “Ms.Dillon, a true journalist will remain impartial because it isimpossible to convey a story fairly and accurately when operating under bias.”

“I see,” Blake said, sounding not at all convinced. “You’resaying reporters need to dehumanize themselves.”

Crosby’s laugh conveyed his disbelief and his dismissal. Heran a hand through his graying hair. “Of course, not.”

“Desensitize, then.”

This brought their professor up short, and Ollie found hewas deeply invested in the answer. Journalism wasn’t his major, but he was gladto have chosen the elective. And not only because it had brought Blake into hislife.

“I’m not trying to be challenging for the sake of nuisance,”she said. “I only want to understand your position. You assert that journalistscannot and should not become emotionally involved in the story. Yes?”

“Absolutely correct.”

Blake let out a sound that wasn’t quite a laugh. “I’m sorryProfessor but, unless the reporter is a chatbot, their emotions are going to beinvolved. If I’m doing a story on, let’s say, systemic injustice orreproductive health, it’s impossible for me to remain detached from those subjects.”

“Then you recuse yourself from those stories.”

“I’m sorry?” She squared her shoulders, the movement drawingOllie’s attention to the curve of her neck and the way her hair curled againstthe shell of her ear.

Then Crosby’s words filtered through his distracted brain.Ollie raised his hand.

“Mr. Benjamin, you have thoughts on this?”

“I wanted to clarify,” Ollie said. “You believe a journalistshouldn’t cover a story that will emotionally compromise them?”

“That’s an excellent way of putting it.” Crosby smiled as ifhe’d found an ally.

Ollie could feel Blake’s eyes on him. He turned to look ather, hating the frown that creased her brow, and turned back to the professor.

“Forgive me, but I’m not sure that’s wise or even possible.Everything affects everyone, even if it’s indirectly,” Ollie said. “Whetherit’s the weather, a stray cat in a tree, or war in a foreign country, it’s allconnected to all of us. I agree with Blake. It’s impossible to be completelyunbiased, especially if the bias is subconscious.”

“Exactly,” Blake agreed. Her soft, full lips, which had beenpressed into a hard line, pursed. “I would argue that it is a journalist’s dutyto become emotionally involved in certain stories. How else would youget to the heart of a thing? The connection is needed.”

“What you are describing, Ms. Blake, is activistjournalism,” Crosby said. “I believe Professor Johnson’s Black issues classcovers that. You should enroll.”

A hushed murmur filtered its way through the rest of thestudents.

Beside him, Blake took a deep breath that seemed to lowerthe temperature of the room.

“Professor Johnson’s African American Studies courseis quite popular, sir,” she said calmly, though her hand was curled into a fistunder the desk. “I tried to enroll—twice—but there’s a waiting list. I had tosettle for your class.”

Several emotions passed over Professor Crosby’s face inquick succession before it settled into a mask of indignance. He pushed off theedge of his desk and went to the board, a stretch of green slate that probablydated back fifty years. It might still be considered new in the centuries-oldclassroom.

“Of the five tenets of journalism, impartiality requires thatyou maintain a sense of neutrality when reporting a story,” he said, scribblingthe tenets on the board in hard, quick strokes of the chalk. When he finished,he tossed the chalk down and turned to face them. “And if you can’t beimpartial, then walk away from the story. Or perhaps consider a differentcareer,” he added, glancing at Blake before returning to his desk.

Ollie grit his teeth, biting backthe things he wanted to say. Like fuck offand you’re the one who needs to rethink his career, you pompous asshole.

“It isn’t on the syllabus, but I’d recommend that you pickup The Elements of Journalism. I...think someof you might find it enlightening. See you next Friday.”

With that, the class was dismissed.

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