It's okay, you tell Alex, even though you're not sure it is.
"I note that you fled the field of battle after I pointed out my expectation that you won't improve your chances after this lackluster semester."
"Clearly it isn't okay," Alex says. "I made it possible for him to press on you where you are the most diffuse."
He doesn't need an excuse for that.
"Nothing to say in response?"
"Nothing useful, no." Rather than say anything more, you drink your wine.
Next
Wilcox says, "I can see I need to intervene if you're not to embarrass the department. What do you intend to do in the coming semester vis-à-vis your tenure progress?"
"This Wilcox is full of hot air. Interestingly enough," Alex says, "we had a similar idiom back home, though in our case it was a more literal saying."
"Thank you for the offer, but I'm good." You take another drink of your wine and remind yourself not to dump it on Wilcox's stupid head.
"You most certainly are not." Wilcox stands aside to let a knot of laughing professors move past, then says, "Come, now, you must have plans for the spring semester."
You've not made detailed plans yet. You hadn't had time in the rush at the end of the semester. But if you admit it, Wilcox will use that against you when discussing your tenure prospects with Dr. Ellison. The service aspect of tenure involves not only what you've done for the academic community but also how they view you.