Short Prose
Here are a couple of pieces I did for previous classes (and enjoyed very much) and one I just finished about one of my previous professors, whom I had for Unix and Java (and enjoyed very much).
When I moved to Riverview from Sulphur Springs, I brought with me an adorable all-white stray cat I had named Detroit Dusty Mona. I knew Mona was 'with kitten' when we moved, and I knew she would come due soon. I had prepared a box in my bedroom closet, in the hope she would find it acceptable. One afternoon she walked up to me, looked me in the eye and clearly said—in English—"Now!"
So there, in my bedroom closet, were born two calicos and the Sugar Twins, Spunky and Bunky. It was the first time for both of us, and Mona came through it beautifully.
It was Father's Day. Since the biological father was not in attendance, I stood in for him. And that's why we think of Bunky as our 'love child.'
I was happily laboring away at my construction job one February morning when I got such a bad headache I had to go in the construction trailer and lie down—something I didn't usually do at work. I couldn't even get up for egg rolls from the break truck. At that point, the boss suspected I was near death.
He was right. I was having a brain aneurysm, complete with sub-arachnoid hemorrhage. There were a couple of fuzzy months in there, and I still tend to stutter a little at times, but there was really no profound, lasting damage.
Someone at Vocational Rehabilitation brought up the subject of going back to school, one thing led to another, and here I am, finishing up my A.A. degree in Computer Information Systems, and recounting once again—
"I used to be a construction laborer,
then I had brain damage,
so I became a college student!"
It's all true...
And speaking of college...
The fourth floor of the Technology Building on the Dale Mabry campus of HCC is where the action is for computer students. I like to chat with the people I meet on the fourth floor (you can ask anybody), especially if they're carrying a book for Unix or Java. "Who do you have for Unix?" I'll ask. When the answer is "Pollock" I inform them—or warn them, "Fasten your seat belt! Get ready to work hard and learn a lot."
Professor Wayne Pollock packs as much information as possible into his courses. Some of his students are not just fulfilling a requirement, but are already working in the field and attending classes to gain as much knowledge as they can, for immediate application. Wayne Pollock teaches to them. As he often says, he wants to make sure they "get their money's worth." The projects he assigns are instructive and implement a variety of useful concepts, and his exams are designed to determine exactly what you know. That means they're not easy, and he is known on the fourth floor as a "hard prof." I also know him to be a caring, dedicated instructor who lives to teach. Not only does he encourage you to learn, he does whatever he can to ensure that you do. I often tell people this story to illustrate what I mean...
I was struggling with a project in Java class. No matter what I tried or how I cursed, the program just wouldn't work right. The due date was fast approaching and I knew my schedule of work and classes would keep me from meeting him during office hours when I needed to. Of course, I brought this to his attention.
"Do you have any time free over the weekend?" he asked. "E-mail me your phone number and a time to call." Of course, I did.
And Wayne Pollock, the "hard prof," called me at home, from his home, on his day off, and had office hours with me over the phone. He got me over my bug; I got the program running, and on time, too.
I've told this story to students and teachers alike. They are usually surprised, and I know that this is not standard operating procedure for college professors. But I hope that as I continue my education, I have the good fortune to work with one or two more "hard profs" who can challenge me—and teach me—like Professor Wayne Pollock.
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