One of the things I try to do is correct mistakes I've made as soon as I learn of them. And yesterday I think I made one.
While writing about my experiences with formal education I believe I indicated that I remember absolutely nothing from them, nor recall any particular teachers or anything that any of them said. But now I've come to realize that that's not really true. Because while considering what I'd written, after reviewing it later, I now do remember one educator clearly and precisely what he said. I think I should also mention that at that time I was enrolled in college, attended evening classes and was more than twenty-one years old.
The educator in question was a college professor, teaching a required business course in public speaking. During the term several of us students who sat in close proximity during class talked amongst ourselves before the sessions began, though I can't say that we really became "friends". Anyway, at the end of the term when grades were posted, one of these acquaintances I'd made thought he'd been short-changed in grading by the professor.
There was one final class remaining, although we'd already been graded, and before that one started the short-changed student leaned toward me and told me he planned to invite the professor out for a drink after classes that evening. The school we were attending was the Stern College of Business at NYU, located downtown at Washington Square and around the corner on Eight Street was a then famous school hangout called Rocky's Bar and Grill. The student's plan was to take the professor there.
But there was more to the student's scheme. He went on to inform me that he wanted to get the professor, Haasch was his name I think, plastered and then, when Haasch was tanked and unable to defend himself, the student intended to beat him until he killed him. I listened to the plan, absorbed it all, and although I'd made no particular comment, for whatever reason the student invited me to come along.
When, after class, the student actually did invite the professor out, and to my surprise, the professor cordially accepted. I agreed to come along too, either out of curiosity or just the thought of free booze, I really don't remember. Shortly later, we three sat around a table sipping drinks and I must say that I clearly recall that the professor could really knock down whatever it was he was drinking. And unfortunately for the student, he did his best to keep pace. But, after some time went by, the student put his head on top of his folded arms and dozed off at the table, completely done in for the evening. Haasch and I, however, continued on together.
At some point later, sensing the evening would soon be over, the professor and I switched to ordering Remy Martin as an after dinner cognac, despite the fact that neither of us had eaten. And after a couple of those the professor indicated that he was going to leave us and head for home. But before he left, he raised his almost empty glass and tilted it first toward the still asleep student and afterward towards me. It was then that he spoke the professorial words I've jogged back from the recesses of my memory and never really forgotten. As he rose from his chair he looked at me and said, "Michael, please tell your friend there that I said thanks for the drinks."
That's it for today folks.
Adios
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