Happened

I often maintain contact with past students. It is weird when they tend to pop back up. Some have come back to campus to show me their babies. Some email me from their big new universities. Some I simply see around town or even on campus. Overall, I enjoy keeping in touch. I like seeing how people turn out. It is cool that they desire to continue to share their lives with me. It makes me feel like I've made a difference.

Of course, for every student that does keep in touch, there are many whom do not. Further, for every student that adores me, there is likely one that does not. I feel bad for each failing score I have assigned and feel a little stressed when I run into those students. I also think about those whom dropped my courses and try not to take the same personally.

Last year, I had a pair of fellows who sat in the back row of my Intro class. They were a hoot. They clearly did not prioritize school and basically took turns attending class. Shortly after the quarter began, the two got an apartment. A few weeks later, one of the men stopped attending. I asked the other one what was up. He revealed that the two got evicted from their apartment secondary to too much partying and the other man had to work more hours so he could afford a new place. Consequently, he dropped all of his classes.

The gentleman who dropped is back this quarter. He takes the same section of the same course once again. The only difference is that I no longer teach that time slot. I do, however, teach the slot before it and the slot immediately following it. Thus, I see him on occasion.

I often say 'hi' to the guy and am impressed to see that he has almost made it through the quarter. It seems that he finally has priorities figured out. I even noted that he sits in the front row (versus the back like when I had him).

The other day, I saw this man as I left my 9 am class and said hello. I happened to cut my office hour short that day, as I desperately wanted a coffee prior to my third class. Consequently, I happened to show up for my 11 am class a few minutes early. As students from that class exited the room, I made my way towards the front. As I got towards the front row, my prior student happened to enter the aisle at the same time. I excused myself. In response, he said something to the effect of, "Wow! Two times in one day. You must miss me, huh?". He continued towards the back of the class as I moved forward. In an effort to be witty, I responded, "How did you know? I've pretty much been broken-hearted since you dropped my class last year". He replied, "Well, let me take you out to dinner some time and I'll spend the rest of the night making it up to you".

Huh.

I did not believe my ears nor do I really get it when people are flirting thus I dismissed it assuming that I imagined the whole thing.

Right then, I turned to the side and made eye contact with one of the more boistrious girls whom sits in the front row. She smirked and said, "Oh yeah. THAT just happened". The group of yippies then began discussing the same.

Awkward.