Story telling is part of the lure I feel as I move towards being in Ireland and England for the summer. The people I meet tell me stories; I always meet people. I remember my daughter and I going about downtown Athens looking for the perfect spot to have dinner when a woman approached me and asked for food…not money. I took her in to the closest restaurant and bought her a meal. I apologized to my daughter, she was home for a short visit, but my daughter said, “It’s ok, she was waiting for you and we needed to wander around long enough for her to find you.”
People do have stories. So many of the stories you may read in this blog will not be my stories, but stories from the people I meet along my way. I met a staff person from the registrar’s office last night who had me repeat my instructions for leading the students to their seats. She got so excited and hugged me when I got it right. “:Professors often don’t listen,” she said. She takes her job seriously and wanted me to help her do a good job. I hope she wasn’t watching when students would not go on the row I directed nor did they stay within their bounds. They seeped out into the aisle and changed seats and stood on chairs. One student came up to me and let me know there were too many people on one row and not enough chairs. “I counted you in, didn’t I?” “Yes, ma’am.” “And someone sneaked in, right?” “Yes, ma’am.” “Well then I guess you will just have to share a seat with someone.” “That’s what I thought you might say,” she said and smiled and returned to the packed row.
I will be off to meet more people and share more stories. I leave Thursday.
Leara Rhodes 