Unpacking Baggage

Just going through my luggage, clearing out some things to make way for enlightenment

Why is it that every time I have plans, something happens to throw things off? I was all set to attend the blogger’s networking event at Factory Café tonight. I had it all worked out to leave directly from the office. Just as I logged off and shut down the computer, the phone rang. I have no clue what the hell was on my mind. I never pick up the office phone. It doesn’t have caller ID so I use voicemail to screen. For some reason I picked it up.

“Professor?” (I love when they call me that) It was one of my students sounding positively frantic. “I was praying that you would answer.” (See… God still answers prayer.) The student began to go on about how he were having problems putting together the persuasive speech and that he couldn’t afford to fail the class because it’s a requirement for graduation… yadda yadda yadda. Before the violin concerto could begin in earnest, I stopped student and told him to schedule an appointment with one of the TAs.

“But Professor, they don’t explain things the way you do. You speak in a way that makes everything easier to understand.”

I’m ashamed to admit it, but flattery gets me every time. I’m a sucker. So I agreed to meet with the student tomorrow morning.

“But I’m in the next building. Can I just run over and have you clarify this one thing? I won’t be long.”

Even though I didn’t believe a word of “I won’t be long,” I agreed. Needless to say, the student lied, but my commitment to educate was once again demonstrated. I know my calling and that’s a real blessing because a lot of folks are still searching. I'm just mad that I didn’t get to see some of the folks I was looking forward to meeting, but hopefully there will be other opportunities. I’ll host one myself if I have to. I was so looking forward to posing questions and exchanging ideas. So I guess I may as well do a few posts to try to make up for what I missed this evening and wait for the reports of the event.