What's It Like Being a Republican Professor ?, the Bookstore Lady Asked
[From the 2020 files, when my favorite used bookstore opened back up].
Someone recently asked me what I do. This was at a used bookstore that I frequent. They’re probably still in business because of me. Anyway, I breathed deep and said I am, I was, a professor. Not working currently. Laid off.
Oh, what was that like ? Being a professor.
[The question startled me. I guess I don’t talk to many people face to face anymore on an every day basis. I’m never asked that by everyday people].
Anyway, I blurted out, you know a lot but are surrounded by low attention spans. It’s its own special kind of Chinese water torture.
It’s like being a parent? she offered .
I don’t know, I said, I’ve not been blessed by parenthood. But I would imagine there’d be similarities. With being a good parent, that is.
[She smiled and took it in].
And I added, some what riskily, since they’re Dems at that used bookstore, that I was a Republican professor. Surrounded by Democrats on the campuses.
Without skipping a beat , she raised an eyebrow, and asked the same question again, what was that like.
And again, it took me by surprise that she cared and actually asked. And again, I blurted out the exact same thing. It’s like, you know a lot, and you’re surrounded completely by people with low attention spans.
And she winced very slightly but then smiled as if she kind of knew what I meant .
Anyway. How are you ?
Copyright Lucas J. Mather, 2020
All Rights Reserved
Originally published to Facebook on Thurs 5 Nov 2020 at 10:28 pm
Dr. Lucas J. Mather, Ph.D. is producer and host of The Republican Professor Podcast. He writes at TRP Substack. He teaches, part-time, in the government department at Azusa Pacific University in Lost Angeles County, California. A fuller bio can be found here on the website that hosts TRP Podcast: https://www.therepublicanprofessor.com/writer/lucas-mather/