Sophomore Stories Part XIII "The Phone Call"

This story requires a bit of background, please be patient :)

At the beginning of my Sophomore year, I was a declared business major with my eyes set on becoming a CPA. As such, I enrolled in Financial Accounting I in the fall. It didn't come to me as I thought it would and I ended up getting a C in that course, shoving my business school GPA toward the gutter...and in the spring semester, I made sure it stayed there forever.

Managerial Accounting I was the class, Marci Flannery was the professor. Seeking to remedy my poor performance in the fall, I diligently attended every class each Tuesday and Thursday, took copious notes, even read the book! After the first 5 weeks, we had our first exam. It was on a Tuesday. I was anxious for the results on Thursday...but the tests weren't fully graded yet forcing me to wait 5 more days. The next Tuesday, one week after the test, I fully expected to receive the results. Not only because seven days had passed, but also because the last day to drop a class with no penalty was Wednesday. Knowing that my accounting career had started poorly, I was at a crossroads...if I had done well on this test, I would stick with it...if not, accounting isn't for me, I'd drop the class, no harm, no foul, just walk away.
Well guess what...we get done with class and the tests still aren't ready! There were maybe 30 students in this class...regardless of the withdrawal deadline, what's the sense in making us wait a week and a half to find out how we did?!?
After class, I calmly asked Ms. Flannery about the exam. She said maybe Thursday. I stressed to her that I was hoping to receive the results today as the add/drop day was tomorrow. Seeming unsympathetic, she apologized and said she'd try to have them to us on Thursday.

This was unacceptable to me. So I called the director of the accounting faculty and asked him about this. He gave me a stern lecture about sticking things out and trying harder, etc. Whatever, either I 'got' accounting or I didn't...and at every turn it seemed that the faculty were trying to make it hard for me.

So, I take the dept. head's advice and 'hang tough' like a New Kid or something and you know what happened? After giving a serious effort for those first 5 weeks, I got an even 60 out of 100 on that stupid exam. D minus. Great. Now I have to figure out what I did wrong while absorbing ever increasing amounts of advanced accounting material and ace every other test to save a B for the semester. To top things off, Ms. Flannery was quite offended that I went to her boss to complain and let me know after we FINALLY received our exams.

I decided the best course of action was to give the course the proverbial middle finger.

For the rest of the semester, I attended exactly 2 classes, both exams (the second one I actually got a B on).

Knowing that I was going into the final exam with a D, a B and an unknown grade on the third exam, I felt that if I could somehow salvage an overall C, that it would be a minor victory...in short, I started to care again.

In addition to the three, impossibly slow to grade exams, we students had to complete a massive accounting project by the end of the semester. This is where Paul enters the picture.

Paul G. was a hallmate who had another teacher for the same class and had the same mammoth project to complete. We decided since either of us had a clue that we should work together.
We set about the process of soliciting help from others in the class and Paul was successful in gleaming some knowledge so that we knew what direction to go.

About two-thirds of the way through, Paul and I sat at my desk at the computer lab where I worked because we wanted to use the computer to finish (I was actually on the clock at the time, this is important later). We became confused at one certain section and were hopelessly stuck. Paul suggested we call the instructor. Being at a campus workspace with a campus phone, I had ready access to the faculty phone directory. We looked up Ms. Flannery's phone number and dialed. I fully expected to get a machine or assistant, but to my surprise, she answered. Flustered, I hung up the phone. Paul admonished me for not asking her...and he asked for the phone and her number.

Computer lab employees are not permitted to let non-employees use the phone.

Paul dials the number and promptly gets her machine. After the beep, Paul said "BITCH!" and hung up.

Two days later, sitting in my room not studying for finals, the phone rings. The conversation went something like this.

Me-"Hello."
"Is this Mr. Dale?"
"Yes"
"This Marci Flannery"
"Oh...um, hi."
(sounding very nervous and flustered)"Yeah, I think you and I need to have a talk"
(Obliviously)"Ooooohkaaay."
"Yeah, I really think it's best if we sit down and have a chat"
(Seriously, I'm thinking this is about my attendance or something)"Yeah, sure...um, why exactly did you want to meet?"
"Well, on Tuesday, someone called my office and left an obscene message on my voice mail. I had the campus telecommunications department trace the call and they traced it to you work. I spoke with your boss and he told me that you were working at that time and that you're the only one allowed to use that phone"
(total silence)
"So I think we need to meet and talk through this situation"
"No problem."
"Ok. Good bye"
"Bye"

I found Paul playing ping-pong in the lobby and told him the story. He insisted that he would go to Ms. Flannery and apologize and admit what had happened. I wanted this to happen in one regard, but on the other hand, Paul had a B going into the final and I didn't want his chances at a decent grade ruined. Paul never did talk with Ms. Flannery...and neither did I despite twice calling her to make an appointment and leaving messages each time.

For fun, I decided to show up for the final exam. It was held in conjunction with all the other Managerial Accounting classes that semester in a large auditorium. To avoid cheating, there was assigned seating that was displayed for us as we entered.

I was in the front row, right in the middle.

I reluctantly took my seat with my pencil and calculator, knowing for certain the letter that would find its way onto my report card.

I whizzed through the exam...finishing first or near first. I rose from my seat in the middle of the front row and made a beeline for the exit, casually tossing my multi-page exam in the general direction of my instructor, the poor, misunderstood, grades tests with the speed of molasses in January, Ms. Flannery.

Three weeks later, my parents were 250 miles away when the grades made their way into our mailbox. That made it a little easier. I never saw Paul, or Ms. Flannery again, and I changed my major to Journalism and managed to grade despite earning an 'F' in Managerial Accounting I.

I also got a 'D' in Intro to Economics that semester...


Epilogue: I took Journalism classes for the next three semesters with the special permission of the Dean on the condition that my GPA increase each semester. I received my letter of acceptance into the William Allen White School of Journalism 5 weeks before I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism.