Lucky Breaks

The other night I walked toward the gym entrance expecting to teach three aerobics classes, totally exhausted, just to find it was closed. Immediately I perked up, regained energy. I love teaching classes more than anything, but I think I needed a break, and the gym being closed was just the unexpected break I needed. When I came home three hours early, Geoff laughed at me, knowing that I got ready, drove over there and taught nothing, my reply, "That made the break even more surprising and nice."

I really wanted to spend a night with my family, the first one in about a week and a half. It reminded me of another lucky break I got. A really, really lucky break...

In college, I lived in an apartment with three other girls right across from the campus. Parking was horrible, so bad, you had to get to class over an hour early to find a spot. Living walking distance was perfect. I happened to be on a huge rollerblading kick and would rollerblade into class every day. I would clonk up the stairs, roll right into my seat, take off the roller blades and start class. One day, I rolled right into my seat to find every person's head stuck in a book. In the most chipper mood, I said hi to those around me, asked about weekends, probably told some story I thought was funny to be received only by looks of surprise and annoyance.


(Two of my college roomies I got to see last week!)


"Holly!" One of my classmates said looking at me very matter of factly, "WE have our final, today. Right now, when the teacher walks in, and WHERE is your paper? I didn't see you turn it it, it's due, TODAY, the day of our final."

Me- "Huh? Oh, you guys are soooo funny, it's not until NEXT week. Relax, mine is almost done, that is actually good for me, a week ahead and all."

Them- "No, today, as in today. It's due right now, look at the pile of papers on the desk."

They were right. I thought it was odd that everyone was super studying, like they all happen to have a final in their next class, I mean, what a coincidence, right?! BUT, there were papers on his desk and considering the paper was worth about 50% of your grade, and the final the other half, this was no small paper, not a paper taken lightly, for sure not a paper turned in a week early! Panic instantly took over my body and I wasn't the happy rollerblader that rolled into class a few minutes earlier. I thought of my options, this professor isn't very nice, not understandable, and who would be. I just didn't write down the right date. I'm not prepared, and my paper isn't ready. How about next week sir? NO WAY will he go for that. Crap, all my work for this class, all the time I put into it, all the lectures I attended, the books I read were down the drain. The timeline for graduation might be off a semester because of a stupid mistake I made?!

As all the not so fun thoughts in my head were running into each other, becoming more upset, creating more worry, something happened that has not happened in all of my time here. In fact, I've never heard of this happening EVER on the campus, and heard from recent graduates, it has never happened again.

The fire alarm went off.

We waited for a minute, thinking it would stop. It never did. We all stood outside with our bags and our papers (Hell, we don't want them to burn in the fire!), waiting for word, waiting for the alarm to go off, waiting to take our test. It didn't stop for at least another half an hour or more and our professor rescheduled the final to the next week.

Everyone joked that it was me that pulled it. Obviously it was not, since they saw me in the seat in their class, clearly freaking out. I rollerbladed back home happier than I rollerbladed into class that day.


THAT was an unexpected break!