I went to professor Pasalacua's (a professor at the University of Puerto Rico Law School) class and listened to a short lecture. Suddenly Pasalacua said we were going to take a written exam right now and that we would have 15 minutes within which to finish. I was shocked. I had had no idea a test was going to be given. All the other students already had their papers and pens ready, while I was still trying to dig out some paper.

Meanwhile, Pasalacua said the subject about which we were to write was Algeria. We were supposed to discuss the future of Algeria and whether it was going to become a country and cease to be a protectorate.

I began trying to write. I had thought Algeria was already a country and I had trouble reconciling that notion with its being a protectorate. Meanwhile, Pasalacua continued talking and prevented me from concentrating.

I tried to think of the name of the country which was to the south of Algeria. I thought it had something to do with the Sahara, but I couldn't remember its name. The name "Sierra Leone" came to mind, but I didn't think that was correct. Then I tried to think of the country to the east of Algeria, and concluded it was Libya. I thought Libya was likewise a protectorate. I began writing, "Argelia, como sus heramas al sur y este, aun no es un pais."

I thought there was oil in Algeria and said the oil would play an important role in Algeria's future.

All the while, Pasalacua continued talking. Finally I said, "I can't fucking concentrate."

Pasalacua knew I was referring to his talking breaking my concentration, but he just looked at me and continued talking.

The other students were diligently writing away. I had only written about half a page. Finally I just threw my paper up in the air. Pasalacua paid no attention to me. The 15 minutes were rapidly running out and the other students began turning in their papers; but I had no paper to turn in. The 15 minutes ended, but Pasalacua let the remaining students continue writing. Finally everyone except me turned in their papers.

Pasalacua kept talking. He said he had mentioned Algeria three times in class. But he said probably no one in the class knew the exact status of Algeria or how much oil was being produced there. Then he spoke of his past exams and of some answers which students had written.

He saw I hadn't turned in a paper. He was very understanding about it and said I could possibly retake the exam the following week. But I was so disgusted I just walked out of the class without saying anything to anyone.

As I left, I heard some students saying the test was going to count half of our grade. If that was true, then I was obviously going to fail the course. It was only a 2 hour course and I thought I hadn't planned to take as many hours next semester, so I could take the course over. I likewise thought I would have to take legal research. But since that was only a one hour course, both together only totaled three hours.

I walked down the hall to another classroom, opened the door and went in. An unshaven man (about 50 years old) was sitting there. I didn't know what he was doing there. I felt really discouraged. Some other students were there. I began watching a movie the man was showing. I also had a book to read which followed the movie. All the other students left before the movie ended.

The movie ended, but I still hadn't read the last page of the book. I shut the book without reading it. The man then asked me if I knew what the movie was about and what I thought about it. I said, "I didn't understand it. But that wasn't unusual. I don't understand anything that is going on anymore in my classes."

He said, "Open the book and read the last page. The movie was experimental and the critics didn't like it. That's why you didn't like it – because you're a critic."

I opened the book, read the last page and then understood what the movie had been about. But I didn't understand one word on the last page. The word was "Aguadilla."

The man and I left the classroom together. I asked him if he knew what "Aguadilla" meant. He said he didn't know. I pulled out my dictionary from my back pocket. It said that "Agaudilla" meant "scales." I tried to explain to him that scales were the outer covering of a fish.

Copyright 2004 by luciddreamer2k@gmail.com