Fall Break

Through careful planning, l managed to turn a four-day break weekend into a five-day weekend. Monday, I gave my students their midterm. I had student conferences scheduled for Wednesday and Friday, but we all agreed to have them Wednesday and Thursday instead, giving us Friday off. It made my week hectic, but I needed a weekday off when the campus was still up and running. Friday would be errand day. Near the end of the day, I realized I had just one hour left to make it to the registrar and post office before they closed. And what time would the campus bookstore close? I had no idea, but if I wanted to get even my first two tasks done, I would have to run.

Then, ahead of me on the sidewalk, the entire Old Dominion University women’s field hockey team was running, carrying their sticks. I realized I would have to pass them, and it was going to be…at least awkward, and at most embarrassing. Why? Because I was wearing a knee-length black dress and ballet flat-sneaker hybrid shoes, with black faux-alligator purse slung over my shoulder. It’s always funny to see someone run in a dress. Also, they may have thought I took their running as some kind of challenge and I was trying to show them up; I’m not sure.

As I chugged past, I heard exclamations of surprise: “What?” “Who was that?” I could hear all of their footsteps pound behind me. They eventually caught up because I stopped to consult a map (I’d never been to the registrar’s office before) and I got caught at an excessively long “Don’t walk” light. Anyway, I did manage to make it to the registrar, fill out forms, jog to the post office, stand in line and fill out forms, then jog to the bookstore to find a book I needed, all before my hour was up. Looking at a map, it should have been impossible. Here’s hoping all my fall break chores go as smoothly.