"The Good, the Bad, and the Clumsy"

     Today was my first day of the fall semester.  I am considerably more apprehensive about my classes this fall as compared to my summer courses.  For starters, yesterday the school posted pictures of various students on their home page, as a tribute to the first day of school. It goes without saying that none of the students are like me.  They have spiked hair, or hair in a variety of colors, some of which I never knew existed. The boys have drooping pants. The girls wear short shorts, and most of the students are now even younger than my youngest son. That’s the bad news.

     Do you recall my young classmate, “A”, the fellow who shocked me by snapping a picture of my essay with his cell phone? Well, the good news is that he is in my World Geography class!  Having “A” in my class nearly eliminated my exaggerated level of discomfort, as I now have someone I can relate to. That is, as much as a 50-Something can relate to a 20-Something. Those positive vibes were quickly dispelled, however, when, walking back to my car after class, I clumsily tripped in the parking lot. (It could only have been worse had I been walking with him).  No, it wasn’t a small, barely discernible misstep. It was a grotesque flub! I nearly fell flat on my face, but I dared not look around in the hopes that no one witnessed the calamity. I know some youngsters saw me, and I had no intention of humiliating myself further by subjecting myself to their raucous laughter. Blissfully, my next class will be after sunset.