This post sponsored by the word ASSHAT

Or is ass hat two words? When I use it as two words, spell check doesn't highlight it. Hmm.

So why the aggressive and crude title? Do you want the short or long story?

Survey says Long. Also? I always want the long story, so I will always tell a long story. Just ask Schuyler. He probably says "cut to the chase" to me at least four times a week. What honey? You don't want to know what the girl was wearing at the bagel shop? You don't need the back story about where the girl got her college degree and why she broke up with her last boyfriend? TOO BAD.

Ahem. So back to the asshat. A little back story.

I'm in this class and there's a guy in it that I can't stand. And it's not for my usual shallow reasons like, "his nose whistles and it annoys me." We only have 12 class meetings, three hours a pop. The bottom line: come to class friggin' prepared. Read the damn book. This guy came to the first three classes and admitted during discussion, "Well I haven't read the book, but..." and he'd spout off. For minutes upon agonizing minutes. As my friend Holly back in St. A would call him, he was our "onboard terrorist." Hijacking the conversation and CRASHING IT INTO THE UNKNOWN. All of us left to scratch our heads and say, "ummm, so anyway.." and try to salvage what was left of the conversation.

So this guy has finally, FINALLY, read a book that we are talking about. Good for him! I can stop disliking you now! Fresh start! And I went skipping on my merry way through class, being my usual self. I had carefully re-read through the book to make sure I had passages picked out to talk about prior to class. So Mr. I Finally Read The Book points out a passage in the epilogue, and I notice it relates to a passage I had picked out for class discussion. So I said, "That's interesting as this passage adds another demention to that," and proceed to read the passage and explain how the two were related.

He looks at me and says, "Did you just say they were related because they both contained the word 'policeman?'"

WTF? There were crickets in the classroom. My face got all red and I re-explained my position. And then he said something equally insulting but I can't remember for the life of me what it was because I think my brain exploded. And then the tears. Oh here they come. He was personally attacking me and OH.MY.GOD. where is the nurturing classroom environment I was used to?

I think some girl came to my rescue and defended me. I don't really remember, I was so upset. After class I asked a girl if I made sense because I was so upset. Her response, "He's an idiot."

Chalk it up folks! First time Margo cries in a classroom.