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I study languages.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Burst.

I'm listening in parasitology lecture, typing quietly so as not to disturb my students as they ask questions about cutaneous larva migrans and Ancylostoma duodenale. I'm giving them a quiz in an hour. They don't know yet.

An acquaintance burst into my face as I was walking to class, beaming with the weight of something to tell me.
"Guess what, Jessica?"
"What?"
"I learned how Valium works!"
I know how Valium works.
"Really? How does Valium work?"
He fed me resting membrane potentials and chloride ions choppily, excitedly. None of it was coherent; I don't think I'd have understood if I wasn't already familiar with the concepts. My face was a picture of casual concentration, and he grinned in delight when he wrapped up the long-winded discourse.
"I just HAD to share this with you, because I knew you'd appreciate it."
"You were right. I did appreciate it."

And I did. Not because he told me something I didn't know, but because he knew I would appreciate his newly acquired scientific knowledge. It's a good reputation to have.

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