Dinner and a wager (1)

"Jack! There you are. Right on time," said Professor Berkheimer as Jack approached the door of the restaurant. It was some kind of Eastern Fusion style restaurant named Chop Stewy.

"Professor Berkheimer, thanks again for inviting me."

"Please call me Mark, at least outside of class. Let's head inside. Hopefully, none of the dead wood will complain too loudly about inviting you."

He wondered what Mark meant by "dead wood."

They entered, and Jack saw that all the tables had been rearranged to make two long tables. Mark lead Jack between the two tables, then stopped and turned to face the head of the table on the right.

Seated at the head was a dusky skinned woman of middle years, with wavy black hair, and an angular face.