The earth is a bubble, and it is about to burst
In the U.S., it is very common for university students,
after having completed a course,
to help the professor instruct new students in subsequent years.
As a university student,
I also worked as an assistant instructor of chemistry,
teaching a few small lectures each week.
I often keep in contact with my former students.
Sometimes, they seek advice,
and so, sometimes I meet with former students,
to speak with them concerning their studies.
It is a tradition.
Today after finishing work in the laboratory,
I went to meet with a former student for dinner.
Tradition.
However, I was slightly tired after work, so I first stopped at a bar for a drink.
This is also a tradition.
Perhaps, I thought, a few drinks would help me wake up.
This proved to be a poor strategy.
-----
Today's student happened to be a girl named Erica, an intelligent girl two years younger than I.
She was not accustomed to seeing me drunk.
This development was unexpected on her part.
And for some unexplainable reason, I was having trouble staying awake:
"Domitori...your soba is getting cold, why don't you eat??"
"ZzzzzzzZzzzzzzZZZzZZ"
"Domitori?????"
"ZzzzZZZzzzzZZZZZZzZZZZZZ"
"DOMIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Huh??? Yes! Hello??! What is the problem???"
"Your soba is getting cold! You're sleeping!!"
"Oh...yes. I like cold soba! I am not sleeping! I am waiting for it to cool down. I will enjoy it soon. I'm looking forward to it."
"You are sleeping at the table!"
"I wanted cold soba but they brought a hot dish instead. I am not sleeping...just waiting. Really."
"That doesn't make any sense...why not ask them to replace your dish?"
Boy, I was really struggling. Clearly, she was still a sharp student, a very clever one indeed. Somehow, she saw right through my coverup. Her instructor was making a fool of himself. I needed some way to distract her, to take attention away from my terrible lack of refinement...
. . .
"The earth is a big bubble and it's about to burst!"
"What??? You're drunk aren't you?!"
"Yes."
. . .
The earth is a big bubble, and it's about to burst.
I enjoyed cold soba.
after having completed a course,
to help the professor instruct new students in subsequent years.
As a university student,
I also worked as an assistant instructor of chemistry,
teaching a few small lectures each week.
I often keep in contact with my former students.
Sometimes, they seek advice,
and so, sometimes I meet with former students,
to speak with them concerning their studies.
It is a tradition.
Today after finishing work in the laboratory,
I went to meet with a former student for dinner.
Tradition.
However, I was slightly tired after work, so I first stopped at a bar for a drink.
This is also a tradition.
Perhaps, I thought, a few drinks would help me wake up.
This proved to be a poor strategy.
-----
Today's student happened to be a girl named Erica, an intelligent girl two years younger than I.
She was not accustomed to seeing me drunk.
This development was unexpected on her part.
And for some unexplainable reason, I was having trouble staying awake:
"Domitori...your soba is getting cold, why don't you eat??"
"ZzzzzzzZzzzzzzZZZzZZ"
"Domitori?????"
"ZzzzZZZzzzzZZZZZZzZZZZZZ"
"DOMIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Huh??? Yes! Hello??! What is the problem???"
"Your soba is getting cold! You're sleeping!!"
"Oh...yes. I like cold soba! I am not sleeping! I am waiting for it to cool down. I will enjoy it soon. I'm looking forward to it."
"You are sleeping at the table!"
"I wanted cold soba but they brought a hot dish instead. I am not sleeping...just waiting. Really."
"That doesn't make any sense...why not ask them to replace your dish?"
Boy, I was really struggling. Clearly, she was still a sharp student, a very clever one indeed. Somehow, she saw right through my coverup. Her instructor was making a fool of himself. I needed some way to distract her, to take attention away from my terrible lack of refinement...
. . .
"The earth is a big bubble and it's about to burst!"
"What??? You're drunk aren't you?!"
"Yes."
. . .
The earth is a big bubble, and it's about to burst.
I enjoyed cold soba.