A Narrow Miss

The long awaited e-mail finally arrived in my inbox on December 2.

“Dear Sharon:
Your appeal of citation 060501099 has been reviewed and the citation has been reduced to a warning. The fine associated with this citation has been waived. This will be the only warning granted for this violation…”

Yes!! Someone in the Transportation Department has a heart after all! That e-mail was proof that God still answers prayers. I hope that is the only time I ever see a parking citation or any other type of citation, for that matter, with my name on it.

I just couldn’t bear it if I’d had to pay another $50 for parking this year. $75 for the permit is outrageous enough without adding a Stupidity Fee to it.

Only One More

Three down, one to go.

I took my first final last Thursday in my computer class. It was such a relief to get it out of the way. The grade I got on it wasn’t so hot, but I got the average in the class that I was shooting for so I guess it didn’t matter that much.

This morning I had two finals back to back. I’ve never had back to back finals before. I left the second final feeling somewhat traumatized. I spent so much time preparing for the Algebra final (another story altogether) that I took my Meteorology final on a little bit of cramming and a prayer.

Other than my Prof in Meteorology, the only person that I really even developed a speaking relationship with in that class was a quiet guy that sat to my right. We had compared quiz answers occasionally and worked together on a couple of them. We once had a discussion on majors and he told me that after he gets his degree he plans to spend a year or two using his degree in a voluntary service capacity with a Baptist organization.

Upon arriving to class this morning, he asked me if I’m ready for the final. I told him that I wasn’t really and he said, “Above all, pray!” Amen to that!

So now I’m down to a German final on Friday. I am so looking forward to the winter break. I was done with this semester long before it was done with me. So, if you feel a strong breeze bearing down upon you on Friday, grab on to something that is firmly anchored and hang on tight because it’s probably me breathing a huge sigh of relief.

Bobisms

Over the last several months, Bob has been very faithful in coming to the office to check on the status of my “major in boys” every week or two. I always assure him that my major is going just fine, although I’m referring to a slightly different major than he is. He has been very full of advice. About a month and a half ago, he informed me that before things “get too serious,” he wants to meet and inspect my “major.” He wanted to be sure that any prospects are Bob-approved before things progress too far. I always end up laughing at his preposterous imagination, and he gets a huge kick out of the whole thing. Quite truthfully, so do I.

Last Tuesday, I had to smile as I saw Bob pulling up. A few minutes later, he opened the door and stepped into the office. He spied me sitting at my desk and a huge grin crossed his face. “How’s the maja’ comin’?” he said in his Southern drawl. We went thru our usual routine. “So,” he said, leaning up against my desk, “You gettin’ a ring for Christmas?” Where did he come up with this stuff??

About two month ago, after a particularly delightful visit, I decided to keep a file on what I’ve come to think of as “Bobisms.” He comes up with the most hilarious sayings, and I wanted to be able to remember them. I wrote two of them down to stick into my file. I wish I had thought of it a long time ago and been more diligent in writing them down since then.

Bob died of a major heart attack late last Thursday afternoon. I heard the sirens that afternoon as they arrived, and it didn’t take us long to perceive that something was wrong at Bob’s place. They were never able to revive him.

I went to his viewing this evening. I’m going to miss the old chap—his righteous indignation at the loss of old fashioned values, his tidbits of news, and, most of all, his random visits that always left me with a smile on my face.

My Bobisms:

“Love is like a lump of gold, Hard to get and hard to hold.”

“The only reason a man gets married is so he can have a boss.”