Walking down the street at 11 pm, wearing shorts due to intense sweat caused by two and a half hours of basketball played in New Jersey, searching frantically for the subway connection from the PATH train, which I foolishly exited at 9th street instead of Christopher Street because I assumed it connected to the 1 train there as well, causing me to walk an extra 10 minutes as the wind blew, the temperature dropped below 40 (one day after the warmest day of the year so far), and the thick snow fell on the trees which just blossomed yesterday...
On the train ride back I recall freshman year of college. We make a bet during a bowling match over the weekend. It is January, and the pair that doesn't win has to wear shorts to a full day of classes on Monday. Miraculously we somehow tie, and it is decided that all four of us have to wear shorts the following Monday. So Monday comes, and it is only 5 degrees outside. And of course, I am the only one who honors the bet and goes to my 8:30 am class in shorts. I am wearing extra layers everywhere else, but still exposed skin below the knees and above the ankles.
As I approach the Arts Quad, I see the Assistant Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. He's a man with glasses and a bow tie who definitely belongs in a highly charged academic atmosphere. He is very intelligent, so he was smart enough this morning to wear adequate clothing. He sees me, smiles, and says, "Sir, you have a hearty soul."
And there I was thinking that he was going to call me a fool. I like "hearty soul" better. Words really can make a difference.
On the train ride back I recall freshman year of college. We make a bet during a bowling match over the weekend. It is January, and the pair that doesn't win has to wear shorts to a full day of classes on Monday. Miraculously we somehow tie, and it is decided that all four of us have to wear shorts the following Monday. So Monday comes, and it is only 5 degrees outside. And of course, I am the only one who honors the bet and goes to my 8:30 am class in shorts. I am wearing extra layers everywhere else, but still exposed skin below the knees and above the ankles.
As I approach the Arts Quad, I see the Assistant Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. He's a man with glasses and a bow tie who definitely belongs in a highly charged academic atmosphere. He is very intelligent, so he was smart enough this morning to wear adequate clothing. He sees me, smiles, and says, "Sir, you have a hearty soul."
And there I was thinking that he was going to call me a fool. I like "hearty soul" better. Words really can make a difference.
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