What could go wrong?

Today, the last day before school starts again, was shaping up to be rather anticlimactic. Maybe it’s because the process no longer seems foreign to us and we think we know what to expect. Or, possibly it’s because things are supposed to get easier after the first time. After all, our first semester was filled with so many unknowns and surprises that we believe our college would be hard-pressed to throw something at us we couldn’t handle.

More likely it’s because we are naïve — the accidentally-spilling-a-full-beer-but-pretending-it-doesn’t-matter kind of naïve — and were lulled in to a false sense of intelligence.

At about 10:30 this morning, Dennis received a phone call from the head of the Telecommunications department, who is also his professor for two upcoming classes. After apologizing repeatedly, she said she called to explain a conflict with a lecture scheduled for Tuesday nights. The instructor for that class apparently has plans for three hours on those evenings. Would Dennis be available on Monday nights instead?

Telecommunications Professor: I am really sorry about this. Do you have classes on Mondays in the evening?

Dennis: No, but the Red Wings play hockey on Mondays. No, no classes.

TP: Okay, I just needed to check. I’m calling all the students to see if this will be a problem.

Dennis: It’s a huge problem. Why don’t you see if the Wings can reschedule their games instead? No, not a problem with me.

TP: This isn’t for sure, now, but if we do change the class time, I’ll call you back tonight or tomorrow.

Dennis: Tomorrow? Tomorrow? You want to move the class to tomorrow so you’ll let me know by, possibly, tomorrow? That’s fine. Just let me know.

TP: We won’t just make a change without telling you.

Dennis: You really should...it'd be funny. Okay. Thanks for the call.

TP: I really am sorry.

Dennis: I'll remind you when it's time for my grade. No problem. Talk to you soon.

Before you say that Dennis is a spineless wuss who should’ve stood up for his already established schedule (or lied with a straight face), keep in mind that the Red Wings are the ONLY reason he would not wish to accommodate, and in the big picture, Red Wings games really don’t matter that much to school officials (sad, but true).

At the same time, other than his family — and when it comes down to it, really just his wife — there is no one Dennis would rather spend a quiet evening alone with than the Detroit Red Wings hockey team…wait, that came out wrong. Anyway, you get the point.

We are waiting by the phone. Stay tuned….