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A sophomore is a creature who sits quietly on the first day of class while the teacher rambles on about books and movies and culture and Mt. Carmel. A sophomore takes this time. A sophomore takes it all in. Tomorrow...we will see about tomorrow. Yes, I rambled all over today. One of my ideas was that a teenager would rather go to a movie than read a book because moviegoing is a social activity and bookreading is solitary. Our general American culture does not encourage solitary activity; we find it vaguely sinister. We are a society of extroverts; the introvert is not to be trusted. Introverts make bombs up in Montana, do horrible things with guns in public places. That seems to be the fear. But I raised the possibility that without a certain amount of solitude a person could never know his or her truest self because it's not mostly to be found out there in the busy world. Ah, a raised hand, some wisdom to share? "So, uh, what book do we have to bring to class tomorrow?" The big green one. A kind person lets me use her access number for the copying machine, leaves a bag of M&Ms and a friendly note in my mailbox, has no problem with me changing a textbook, locates a couple of really good file cabinets, drops off an overhead projector out of the blue, puts me at the top of his list, suggests a couple of fans for my stuffy classroom, says I'm bald but nice, offers to help if I ever need anything, shows me to the closest restroom, holds the door. I'm always out of shape for the classroom on these first days. My feet hurt. My throat hurts. This voice hasn't had such a workout for three months. This voice is used to quiet talking privately to one or two people, to the cat. The jog. Half-moon way up in the blue sky long before sunset. There's no border between day and night. These guys will work to darkness on the newest bleachers in the universe, making metallic insect noise, blaring the truck radio, talking deep guys-at-work talk. Another August celebration: Murray, full of insight and grace, Happy Birthday. |
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Tennessee Williams |