My Initial Post: A College Memory

            In 1987 I was enrolled in a communications course at the local community college. The instructor was a friendly, upbeat, portly 40 something gentleman who enjoyed both teaching and interacting with the late teens/early 20 somethings in his classroom.

          There were many times in which the group conversations veered off topic. The instructor seemed to relish those moments and would let his opinions be known with little/no reservations.

          During a class somewhere around the middle of the semester, the topic of subliminal messages hidden in songs somehow came up during discussion. Like other times earlier in the semester, he was adamant with his opinion, this time stating that there was 'no such thing' as audible messages that could be heard when playing a record backwards. This sparked some disagreement with the class, and a back and forth began between instructor and students.

          Members of the class tried to convince him of the legitimacy of such messages, but he flatly refused to believe these could be true. He upped the ante several minutes into the argument, stating the following in forceful fashion:

          'What you people are claiming to hear is simply hogwash. In fact, I am so sure of this that I will make the following offer to any member of this class. If I can hear a clear message within a record being played backwards by any member of this class, I will give that person an 'A' for my class and he or she will not have to attend any classes from this point forward!'

          My jaw dropped but I recovered from my shock quickly and entered the discussion by asking, 'Are you serious about that?' He assured me he was a man of his word and indeed serious about this offer, while adding the dates and times of his office hours, as well as the fact that he had a record player at the ready in his office.

          The next morning I presented myself at his office door with Prince's 'Purple Rain' in hand. I played the following clip for him (0:40):

          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gnm-u4Xq9ag

            The man almost fell out of his chair and was speechless at first. He then said, 'Well (pause). I was wrong. I........can't believe what I just heard, but I admit that I was wrong.'

          I asked him if he would stand by his word and give me an 'A' for the course. He said he would and restated that I did not have to come to class anymore. He offered his hand and I shook it, then smiled and laughed the entire drive back home.

          I did not attend his class for the rest of the semester and I didn't really think twice about it. The rabbit had outsmarted the fox in my mind and that was that.

          Approximately two months later I received a letter from the community college. I recognized it to be my report card for the recently concluded semester.

          I started to open it and then suddenly realized that it was perhaps me that had been outsmarted. I had not attended class for the entire latter half of the semester. That report card could very well have an 'F' and I'd really have no recourse. What could I say? 'Oh, we had a discussion in class and I played a record for the teacher backwards and he said he'd give me an 'A' so I'm protesting this grade!' My word against his? I wouldn't stand a chance.

          I put the envelope down and began to pace around the house, trying to think this whole thing through. Finally, I ripped open the envelope, took a deep breath, and looked over my grades............

Straight A's across the board on the report card, including the communications course. The man kept his word.

What was he possibly thinking in making such an offer to the group? Did others follow up by playing records for him too? Did he end up with a class of a half dozen kids or less? Or was I the only one who reaped the benefits of his offer?

I'll never know the answers to these questions.  Perhaps he learned something from that experience. I have to think he never made such a fly by night offer to any of his classes again.

Did I learn anything from it? That's hard to say but for once (and maybe the only time in my life), I felt I had one upped the system. However, the anxiety I felt in the moments before looking over that report card certainly makes me wonder if I really did beat the system, even though I did get the 'A' in the end.