one more thing I could write an essay about

Office hours.

The setting: yesterday I met with all of the students in my advanced exposition (personal essay) course to brainstorm/discuss ideas for their final personal essays. I met with 2 or 3 students at a time a) to get more students in to see me in a shorter amount of time; and b) to give them the chance to hear others' ideas and help one another. So it's about 9:25, and the first conference is wrapping itself up. I've got three young women in my office, so it's kinda cramped.

OUT OF NOWHERE appears the Julie Wonka. No hello, no greeting, no nothing. Simply, "I need you to cut my bangs RIGHT NOW."

I look at my students. They are in a bit of shock. I shrug my shoulders and grab my industrial scissors. I squeeze between the students and go to the Wonka, scissors in hand. And I trim her bangs. Right then and there. And she walks away without even a thank you. Nothing.

I sit back down and one of my students says, "That's the strangest thing I've ever seen during office hours."

I say, "Imagine an essay in which I write about my wacky relationships with my colleagues."

Pause.

"I should've cut more off."