so, you're an English teacher...

At my doctor's appointment on Thursday, the following conversation took place:

he: What do you teach at ISU?

me: English

he: So you're one of the cool people.

me: That's the first time I've ever gotten that response.

he: English professors are always the cool ones.

me: Usually, it's "oh, I'd better watch my grammar."

he: What's your specialty?

me: Rhetoric and composition.

he: Okay, so... does that mean you study prose? Or poetry?

I can't remember what exactly I said, but I said something about teaching writing and about creative nonfiction and the personal essay....

he: So you work for the Bush administration?

me: Why would I work for the...

he: Creative nonfiction...

me: My doctor just made a funny. I'll have to share this one.

he: I just made a funny with an English teacher. You can get dressed now.