You've got the department meeting late this afternoon, but you scheduled time to work with Gabriel before that. Your talk with him last week didn't go great. With luck and perseverance, this afternoon will go better.
Gabriel arrives at your office at exactly 1:00 p.m. His punctuality is a good sign. His light blue polo shirt looks new, though either he's wearing the same tan chinos as last week or he has a closet full of them. "Come in," you tell him.
"Uh, thanks, Dr. .." He takes the tiniest step into your office.
You point to the folding chair in front of your desk. "Let's talk for a minute."
Gabriel sits gingerly, like he expects the chair to bite him. He's still hesitant after his bad experiences with Dr. Blankenship.