A Real-Life Jeff Spicoli in My History of Western Phil
Yes, This Really Happened: The Life of A Republican Professor in Lost Angeles
From the Lost Angeles Archives, Fall 2014 at a Community College in Lost Angeles County, History of Western Philosophy (Ancient and Medieval), Jeff Spicoli, originally played by Sean Penn in the 1980s film, Fast Times at Ridgemont High (in case you missed the reference) sat in the front row of the class.
He’d never seen the movie so missed when I called him Mr. Spicoli.
(It was before his time).
He opened a can of peaches as I lectured and I’d never done this before but I had to take a picture, right then, right there as I lectured. He did stuff like that.
Jeff Spicoli student -- sober, genuinely said: "Professor, what do conservatives do for fun?"
Me: "I partied my ass off last night."
JS: "No, seriously."
Me:"Let's define some terms."
JS, real intense: "Here we go with Plato again and the Socratic method."
Me: "By 'party' I mean, went to sleep and woke up at 4:30am to do some work."
JS: "Oh snap."
Me:" To pay taxes for you to have the privilege of taking this class for pennies on the dollar."
JS :"That's party central."
Me: "That's what we do for fun. It's all about you, Jeff. Let's get back to Aristotle on 3 types of friendship."
JS -- intense, genuinely said: "Sweet."
Me: "Let me tell you, I am a party animal."
JS: "Professor, you srsly would be the best the to party with -- but a real party -- not your conservative kind."
Me: "Why thank you , Jeff, that means alot. Ok, Nic Ethics, Book VIII. Let's hook that *&@ up, we're wasting tax money."
I was holding that flat doll like thing for my wife’s cousin, Lindsay, who lives in Florida, who wanted pictures of my life in LA with it. She meant, like Disneyland and the beach, but I took him around for a day and snapped photos from what my life was really like.
Copyright Lucas J. Mather, 2014, 2023
All Rights Reserved
Originally published to Facebook Tues 28 Oct 2014 at 11:59 pm
Professor Lucas J. Mather has taught 189 college and university courses over 16 years in the Southern California area at 5 community colleges, 2 big Cal States, and 5 private, religiously affiliated schools in three counties. He hosts TRP Podcast, available on all audio podcast providers as well as YouTube. Dr. Mather writes at TRP Substack, where you can subscribe for free.
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