THE PROFOUND

The day is wonderful. Cold, with just the slightest hint of a breeze, the weather is perfect for sweaters and wool blazers. Even the shortest of walks is most invigorating. The perfect setting for the perfect day.

She leaves for class early, wearing her best sweater and blazer. Her lessons are prepared, her mind geared for active participation in class. On a day like this, she thinks, nothing can go wrong.

She enters the classroom, not surprised to find she is the first to arrive. She takes her seat and begins reviewing the day's lesson. One by one the others enter. She smiled and says hello to each, but none return her greeting. Do you think we'll have a quiz today she asks the person next to her. No answer. Perplexed, she resumes reading.

The professor enters; class begins. She raises her hand to ask a question, to answer a question, but the teacher never calls on her. Individual assignments for term papers are handed out to everyone, except her. The professor walks right by her.

She slowly walks home. The campus is crowded now. Everywhere she looks she sees friends and acquaintances, to whom she waves and says hello. No one seems to see her. No one responds.

She arrives at the dorm. She goes up to her room and puts her books in their place on the shelf above her desk. After hanging her blazer in the closet she lies down on her bed. Slowly she reads the words printed in bold letters on her ceiling:

The day is horrible. Boiling, with no wind, the weather is unbearable even in shorts and a tube-top. Even the shortest of walks is draining. The perfect setting for a horrible day.

She leaves for class late, wearing her most ragged shorts and tube-top. Her lessons are unprepared, her mind still asleep. On a day like this, she thinks, nothing can go right.

She enters the classroom, not surprised to find that she is the last to arrive. She takes her seat and frantically begins reading the day's lesson for the first time. Everyone says hello, but she does not return their greeting. Do you think we'll have a quiz today? asks the person next to her. No response. She continues reading.

The professor enters; class begins. She tries to hide, but the teacher call on her time and time again. The professor hands her an individual assignment for a term paper, but does not give one to anyone else.

She quickly walks home. The campus is crowded now. Everywhere she looks she sees strangers. Everyone waves and says hello. She does not answer.

She arrives at the dorm. She goes down to her room and throws her books on the floor. After kicking her shoes into the corner she flops down on the bed. Slowly she reads the words printed in bold letters on her ceiling:

She gets up from her bed and leaves her room. She goes out on the sundeck and looks down at the pool, four floors below. They've drained the pool, she notices. Undaunted, she climbs over the railing and executes a perfect jack-knife.