I'm supposed to write ten to twelve pages of draft material for my creative writing class before Monday night. I can't even think of anything to write for my blog, this does not bode well. Actually, last Monday there was almost a fight in creative writing! I know, it's not a place usually associated with lost tempers and vitriol. Polisci maybe, but creative writing?

Anyway, there is this one guy in the class who doesn't really want to be there and always makes comments under his breath and such, he's probably about 6'2, 180. I think his name is Raoul. Then there's this other guy, quite a character, Eric. He has a shaved head and lots of gothic, deathy jewelry, like spiked bracelets and skull rings and so on. He's about 6'1, 220. He always talks about obscure Scandinavian death metal bands that he likes, even when that has nothing to do with the topic. I thought he was funny at first, but it turns out he's actually kind of racist. It's not a malicious racism, just comments like: "I don't like people like that," or "there is more racism against white people these days, than against non-white people."

They usually sit on distant sides of the class, but this time they were beside each other, and I was kind of in between them, since the desks are staggered. We were reading this poem about slavery in the south, I guess Eric didn't really get what it was about, because he made a some nonkoshur comments, and Raoul interrupted with some comments to his friend. So Eric says loudly, "This guy is running his mouth over here." Then they kind of stared at each other, the whole class of 50 people was silent and I half expected one to take a swing at the other. I could have cut the tension, if I had a tension-cutting knife of some kind. Luckily, Dr. Budde (pronounced "Buddy") came to the rescue. In true former social worker fashion, he was like "this has to stop, we need to fix this." He tried to get them to talk it out, which didn't really happen. Eric tried to explain he didn't mean to be offensive, and I think he was sincere, though the rest of the class didn't seem to. Raoul just sat there simmering and nodding and not saying anything. I sat there in the middle trying not to be tense. I talked to Eric while walking to the bus, about nothing in particular. I think he's an alright guy, just a little troubled and alienated, though partly by choice.

Anyway, yeah. Happy Birthday to Dann, Leah and Grandma Kyra! Sorry I couldn't get ahold of you last two. I didn't get mom's message that you'd all be together last night until it was too late. I was at the McLeod residence cutting tomoatoes into really small pieces so that people over 90 years of age can eat them. We had Mexican food, my favourite! I even got to watch the end of the Canucks game, 4 wins in a row! I might add, the Canucks are currently in first place in the NHL, although Ottawa, Nashville and Detroit have higher winning percentages.

Photo and Knitted Robot by Jess Hutchison