Embarrassed Teachers

I was in college before I realized that teachers are normal people, too.  Like so many other students, I always saw my teachers just as they were in the classroom--no more and no less.  They didn't have lives outside of school--even if I knew them outside of school, including their spouses and/or children.  They were my teachers, for heaven's sake!

Then, in college, I had this one teacher for Abnormal Psychology who I remember for one thing and one thing only:  the day he came to class with a safety pin attached to the front zipper of his white dress slacks.  While I do feel more knowledgeable about topics related to Abnormal Psych, for the life of me, with conscious effort, the only thing I can remember about my Abnormal Psych professor is that one day--that one embarrassing moment.  I can't even remember the professor's name!

As usual, I was sitting front row center in the classroom.  Because I was there to learn, I was already with my notebook open and ready to take notes before the professor ever came in the classroom.  On that particular day, it was no different.  The professor came in, started lecturing, and I immediately started writing down every word he said.

It didn't take long, though, before I realized that there was a "disturbance in the force."  The professor noticed it, too because he stopped his lecture about whatever it was that we were learning that day and explained the elephant in the room.

Of course, he chose to stand dead center in front of the classroom--right in front of me.  Since I was sitting and he was standing, I was eye level with the source of everyone's curiosity.  As I looked up to see what was going, I was staring straight at a huge straight pin with a large blue cap on the front of this instructor's white slacks.

My professor explained to us that he'd gone to the bathroom just before class and his zipper had broken on his pants.  He hadn't had time to go home to change before class and that safety pin was the only thing he could find to deal with the problem before class time.

Wow.  A professor who was REAL.  I couldn't believe it.  I felt so bad for him, but I admired him so much for standing in front of us with that giant diaper pin on the front of his WHITE slacks.  It really is because of him that I don't shy away from my own embarrassing moments in the classroom.

And believe me....there have been many over the years!!!!

FYI:  even if I could remember that teacher's name, I probably wouldn't share it to preserve his dignity!  LOL.