It is 1 p.m. SEK will be spending the next five hours in his office helping STUDENTS revise their essays. At no point will there not be a line of STUDENTS outside his door.
STUDENT #1: I have a class at 1 p.m. Can I just drop this off, have you comment on it, and pick it up after class?
SEK: I’ll try to have it done by then, but six of your classmates are waiting in line, and I have to get to them first.
STUDENT #1: See you at 2 p.m.
SEK spends the next hour in conference with the STUDENTS who waited patiently outside his office. It is 2 p.m.
STUDENT #1: I’m here to pick up my paper.
SEK: I’m sorry, I haven’t had a chance to get to it yet. Do you have any more classes today?
STUDENT #1: No.
SEK: So if you can just wait, I’ll get to you as soon as I finish talking with your classmates.
STUDENT #1: I’ll just come back at 3 p.m. See you then.
SEK spends the next hour in conference with the STUDENTS who waited patiently outside his office. It is 3 p.m.
STUDENT #1: I’m here to pick up my paper.
SEK: I’m sorry, I haven’t had a chance to get to it yet. Since you don’t have any more classes, maybe it’d be best to take your place in the queue and we can talk as soon as I’m done with your classmates.
STUDENT #1: I’ll just come back at 4 p.m. See you then.
SEK spends the next hour in conference with the STUDENTS who waited patiently outside his office. It is 4 p.m.
STUDENT #1: I’m here to pick up my paper.
SEK: I’m sorry, I haven’t had a chance to get to it yet. If you’ll just—
STUDENT #1: Come back at 5 p.m.? Yes. See you then.
SEK spends the next hour in conference with the STUDENTS who waited patiently outside his office. It is 5 p.m.
STUDENT #1: I’m here to pick up my paper.
SEK: Have a seat, there’s only one person in line at the moment so it’ll just be a—
STUDENT #1: Fine. I’ll come back at 6 p.m.
SEK spends the next hour in conference with the last of the STUDENTS who waited patiently outside his office. It is 6 p.m. SEK has just finished what he thought was his final conference of the day. STUDENT #2 is packing up her stuff and preparing to leave.
STUDENT #1: I’m here to pick up my paper.
SEK: Good timing. STUDENT #2 and I just finished so—
STUDENT #1: I’m here to pick up my paper.
SEK: We can go over it right now.
STUDENT #1: It’s too late.
SEK: I’m more than happy to stay a few extra minutes and look over your paper with you.
STUDENT #1: No, it’s too late. Give me my paper back.
SEK: ?
STUDENT #1: !
SEK: I can send you comments via email if you’d—
STUDENT #1: IT’S TOO LATE. JUST GIVE ME MY PAPER.
STUDENT #1 grabs her unmarked essay and storms out of SEK’s office. STUDENT #2, who hadn’t finished packing up yet, looks as confused as SEK feels.
STUDENT #2: What the—
SEK: Your guess is better than mine. You kids don’t make any sense anymore. I just don’t understand—
STUDENT #2: The things we do on your lawn?
SEK: Out!
Reckon it serves you right, man. You had your chance to give her comments on her paper; you blew it mucking around with the people on line. Maybe next time you'll show a little more respect for her schedule.
Posted by: Jeremy | Friday, 22 February 2013 at 03:05 PM
My sentiments exactly, right down to you saying "on line" instead of "in line." Because you stand on lines, not in them.
Posted by: SEK | Friday, 22 February 2013 at 03:07 PM
I dunno. It seems to me that if I stood on a line, the people underneath me might object.
Posted by: xaaronx | Sunday, 24 February 2013 at 06:40 PM