Firstly, a huge thank you to all my followers, subscribers and readers for reading, commenting, liking and dropping by my blog and website over the last fifteen years. It is quite the milestone and I am extremely grateful to everyone of you. Writing is a lonely task, but being able to share my writing life makes it all worthwhile. So cheers to another fifteen.

I would also like to share a short story today, I created in my writing group meeting with the prompt - people say knowledge is power. Let me know what you think...

A Powerful Lesson

As I sit in the lecture hall waiting on the professor to arrive, I can’t help thinking that his usual monotone delivery will send me to sleep. Yes, it’s my fault for staying up late with my friends and partying hard, but if only he would inject some humour, or excitement into the subject, I might be able to distract my brain from shutting down.

With my hands cupping my bristly chin, I blink excessively to make my eyes water, they are dry and probably bloodshot. I didn’t dare stare too long in the mirror this morning and totally abandoned shaving. It took more than enough effort to get dressed and drag myself here.

Other seated students are in the usual clusters, the swots, geeks and intellectuals, apart from the bored, hung-over and scraping through. I, of course, am in the latter group, especially this morning. The lecture door opens at the far corner of the stage, but the expected figure of Professor Higgins does not enter. There is a murmur of surprise from the auditorium as a mature woman in a severe slate grey suit enters instead. Her hair is honey blonde and arranged in a loose bun at the nape of her neck. She places a leather satchel on the lectern and stands looking up at the assembled student body.

            “Good morning, my name is Professor Sylvia Mackin. I will be taking over this semester’s classes. Professor Higgins has taken an extended leave due to illness. I have read your individual assessments and several leave much to be desired. So I expect your full attention at all times, assignments handed in on time and your presence at every lecture.”

She held up a hand as a few students commented.

            “Pertinent questions will be answered in the ten minutes after class. Now, let’s discuss the intricacies of sociology for modern society and the effects the current environmental and political unrest have on the mental health of the general populous.”

Although, her delivery is concise and formidable, Professor Mackin’s lecture made me sit up and listen. I think I learnt more in that one lecture than in the last three, or four. She explained complexities with ease and her insights into human behaviour were enlightening. For the first time in months I felt excited about sociology.

When the lecture finished I stood in line to thank the professor.

            “Professor Mackin, thank you for an engaging lecture, it has renewed my enthusiasm for the subject.”

            “And your name?” she asked.

            “Tom, Thomas Partridge. I’m a second year student.”

            She turned and shuffled through sheets of paper on the lectern. I saw my name on the corner of one she slid out of the pile. After perusing the sheet she looked up.

            “Mr. Partridge, it seems your grades have slipped over the last couple of months. Why is that?”

            I hadn’t expected to be challenged and muttered a feeble excuse of a challenging workload.

            “If you do not apply yourself, Mr. Partridge there’s no-one else who is going to do it for you. As for workload as you put it, maybe less partying and more study would improve your grades?”

            I felt myself become red faced, she had seen through me in an instant.

            “Yes, you are right Professor; I have become less enthusiastic of late.” I looked up to find we were the only two people in the auditorium.

            She gave me a small smile. “Is Higgins the same old dreadful bore?”

            I stared not knowing what to say.

            “I’ll let you into a secret, he was my professor and even though his knowledge of the subject is his power, his delivery leaves a lot to be desired, doesn’t it?”

            “Oh god yes, it’s that monotone delivery of the facts without any inference or example.”

            I’m shocked at my honest response and cover my mouth. Had I overstepped the mark?

            She smiled. “It’s well known his lecturing style can stifle anyone’s interest, but he is the number one expert in the field. The key is finding the gems of his knowledge and applying them to your own understanding. His knowledge can then become your power.”

            I nod really appreciating her explanation.

            “Thank you, Professor Mackin, I am feeling more confident now.” As I turn toward the door she taps the sheets of paper into a tidy pile before saying,

            “And there is your first lesson Tom - knowing a person’s mental state helps you guide them toward a resolution.”

            As the door closes I realize she knew my apathy and its source and found a way to engage me during our short interaction. She put her sociology knowledge into practice in less than five minutes and turned my negative thinking into a positive experience.