'Sam' by Allegra Goodman

"Sam" is a short story written by Allegra Goodman that was first published in The New Yorker in 1999. The story follows a young woman named Katie who works in a biology lab at a university. Katie becomes infatuated with a male colleague named Sam, who is charming, intelligent, and seemingly perfect in every way. 

The story is told from the perspective of Katie, a young woman who works in a biology lab at a university. She is initially drawn to a male colleague named Sam, who is charismatic, confident, and accomplished. Sam is the star of the lab, known for his groundbreaking research and his ability to effortlessly charm everyone around him.

As Katie spends more time with Sam, she becomes increasingly infatuated with him. She is entranced by his intelligence, his wit, and his easy manner. She finds herself constantly thinking about him, imagining what it would be like to be with him.

Despite her growing feelings for Sam, Katie is hesitant to act on them. She worries that he is out of her league and that he would never be interested in someone like her. She also senses that there is something off about Sam, something that she can't quite put her finger on.

One day, Sam invites Katie to go for a walk with him in the woods near the lab. Katie eagerly agrees, hoping that this might be a chance for them to get closer. As they walk, Sam begins to talk about his work, describing in detail the experiments he has been conducting. But as he talks, Katie realizes that she doesn't understand any of it. She tries to follow along, but the technical language and complex concepts are beyond her.

Feeling embarrassed and inadequate, Katie tries to change the subject, but Sam seems oblivious to her discomfort. He continues to talk about his work, ignoring her attempts to redirect the conversation. Eventually, Katie can't take it anymore. She blurts out that she doesn't understand what he's saying and that she feels stupid.

Sam responds with a patronizing smile, telling her that it's okay if she doesn't understand, that it's all very complicated stuff. Katie feels even more humiliated and frustrated, realizing that Sam doesn't see her as an equal.

After that day, Katie begins to see Sam in a different light. She realizes that his charm and confidence are just a facade, that he is actually quite arrogant and dismissive of those who aren't as smart as he is. She also begins to see how toxic his behavior is, and how he manipulates and bullies those around him to get what he wants.

Eventually, Katie decides to confront Sam. She tells him that she doesn't like the way he treats people and that his behavior is unacceptable. Sam responds by trying to charm her, telling her that she's overreacting and that he's just a driven scientist who doesn't have time for pleasantries.

Katie realizes then that Sam will never change, that he is too wrapped up in his own ego to see how he affects others. She decides to distance herself from him, to focus on her own work and her own life.

In the end, Katie learns an important lesson about the dangers of infatuation and the importance of staying true to oneself. She realizes that true confidence comes from within, not from the approval of others and that it's okay to walk away from toxic people and toxic situations.