A Space of My Own
Next year…next year, the classroom in which I will teach freshmen will be mine. Just mine. I never thought I cared before, but I find myself a bit dizzy at the prospect. I have purchased over $100 worth of really high-quality, curriculum-related posters, like one for Antigone with a picture of a beautiful girl’s face. Next to the picture, it says, “Stand up for what you believe, even if you stand alone.” Another is a photo of a book with the pages aflame, and it says, “You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. All you have to do is get people to stop reading them.” Another says, “The secret in education lies in respecting the student.”
There’s a bunch more, but I’m sure you’re getting the idea. This room will be unmistakably mine. I’m already clearing out the sophomore anthologies and gathering up freshman ones. I’m starting to check out little CD players in stores so that I can have music when I’m working in there. Hey, I don’t have a book to promote, and I need to spend my royalties on write-offs. This looks like as good a place to spend as any.
Okay, I’m off to humor my son and his friends by seeing X-Men with them. They got the day off because of graduation. When he was telling another boy that I would drive both ways, I said, “Warn him that your mom is coming and she’s going to be uncool.” He got off the phone and said, “My parents are cool.” High praise indeed!
Now THAT is a good day!!!
What are royalty checks? Why is it called Royal, Ms.Reed.
Royalties are the percentage of the cover price that authors earn on their
books after they sell. Off-hand, I don't know why they are called
royalties.
One of the reasons I don't live with any of my lovers is that it's
essential that I have my own space for when I want time to myself.
I used to have a space of my own. But it gradually filled up with other
people.
It's been a while since I've had my own space. In some ways this apartment
is more mine than the house we lived in for almost 20 years.
Perhaps because I've been single all the way up to age 29 and there was
only one year since college that I've had to share living space, but I
really like having my own space. It makes me uneasy to think about living
with someone else on a permanant basis, much less having a whole family.
At this point, I don't know where I'd put another person's stuff in this
house. ;^)