Silence: The Second Week of Finals

Another Monday has come. Another week has passed and I think I may have killed another tree with all I have written. As I mentioned before, official classes are now over, but that just means that the whole month has become a test of discipline to focus on the work at hand, and the sight to take advantage of opportunities as they arise.

I certainly consider last week’s conference a major opportunity for myself to grow. It was very interesting and I was able to speak with a number of the panelists on different issues. It became very interesting to see how different people think and to get opinions from some panelists of the others. On the one hand, some of the panel discussions were eye opening and rather revolutionary (at least to me); however, others seemed like political rallies where the panelists barely acknowledged the others and simply read from prepared statements following the party line.

Of course I can understand this position; in front of the public, these politicians do not want to get caught saying something either contradictory to their party or things they have already said, and which may be quoted later. When asked direct question it was interesting to see how some danced around the issue without answering the question at all.

I regret to say, that aside from the conference I do not have much to present you all with this week. I should be having plenty of extra time now; however, I have not yet found those missing minutes. Some people pray for more time, while others sped days killing time. Me, I’m searching for all the lost time!

I suppose I should leave with at least one observation on the day. While depositing a check, I was standing at the ATM when behind me erupted screaming and shouting. I honestly have no idea what happened, except that a physical altercation had arisen between two women in line for the machine. I looked on, conscientious that something should be done, but I had no idea how to intervene. There was also an armed security guard and a bank employee there within five seconds. I kept my eye on the developing scene acutely aware of an exercise from freshman year in college.

 It was the first writing class, maybe the second. We didn’t know each other yet, we had no idea that one of the students wasn’t a student and we certainly did not know what was coming.

Before we knew it, in burst a loud man with threats indicating one of the students in class. We were all speechless, and the teacher seemed shocked; she politely asked the man to leave. I forget if he left for a moment and came back or not, but soon enough he was brandishing his belt at which point the student took off out of the class room, followed by the man, who was in turn followed by our teacher.

The teacher returned after a moment to explain what we had just seen; I do hope that I am remembering all the details more or less correctly. Our task was then to recreate the scene. To write and describe how we perceived it. Back then I, along with the rest of the class, was shocked into inaction. This time I stood more or less confused; however, I made a conscious decision not to intervene. There was security present and, most importantly, I couldn’t understand a thing of what was being said. I couldn’t even tell who had instigated it, but it was not a pretty sight. What would cause two adults to fight over a line at the ATM? Or perhaps it had nothing to do with the ATM. I guess I’ll never know, and maybe it is better that way. Life is about the journey, not the end. Spoilers.