Story Time From Uncle Thomas

I was inspired to write this story this morning. True story, as I have said for years and years.....

"Don't write  this down."

"You can't make this up."

When I was a lowly still " wet behind the ears" undergraduate at the Lamar University, I was required to take a "Political Philosophy" class in order to get a teacher's certificate from the university.

My last semester at the university, I took the class. I waited until then to take the class. Procrastinate, procrastinate....

Anyway, the fucking class was a damn nightmare.

The professor was a PhD grad of a European university in which the courses were taught in French, and the notes he used for the course were in French, so he translated as he taught and about half the time he'd read orally in French, then say it in English......Fuckin' nightmare.

Anyway, the class started out with about 30 people and ended up with about 8 by the end of the semester, which this term, led to the Christmas break.

On the day of the finals, in strolled a kid who hadn't been in the class all semester.

He was from a wealthy family from Beaumont that, well, they name streets after.

The final starts and about 5 minutes, the kid whose family they name streets after gets up and walks out the door.

Me and my longtime friend, Leonard look at each other in amazement.

An hour and a half later, at the close of the final, Leonard and I turn in our Blue Books. ( A Blue Book, was what you used to write your essay tests. Not sure they are still used in 2020?)

Anyway, Leonard, maybe the brightest historian I was ever associated with, went to Kampus Korner to get a bite to eat, and wait our fates in the class.....( I had a chicken fried steak "sammich," fries, and a grape drink.... I went through a period of grade sodas in the 70s, "Big Ed" Anderson another history major got me started on them back in the day.....Leonard had the lamb kabobs. I remember this like it was 20 minutes ago.)

About 90 minutes later, Leonard and I summoned the courage to go to the professor's office to see if we passed.

As we knocked and walked into the professor's office, we didn't have to say anything, he immediately got out tests out of the drawer of his desk.

We both had made an "A."

And that son of a bitch Leonard beating me by 2 points.....

And Leonard, having  the " devil may care"  attitude he always had asked the professor....

"What's the deal with the Guy Whose Family They Name Streets After?"

To which the professor reached into his drawer and pulled out " Named Streets After" Blue Book, and the professor opened the book and pulled out....

Two First Class Tickets to Paris.

To which Leonard replied, " Well, I guess he passed?"

To which, the professor replied, " No, he didn't...But my wife and I will be in Paris when he gets his grades."