One of my students in Survey of English Literature was Chad, a soccer player from Australia, tall, slim, tanned, in the habit of flirting with me, or at least saying things that sounded like flirting, like"Can I knock you up later?" ("Can I come to your office?").
One day early in the semester, I was lecturing on Shakespeare, when Chad came running in late, still in his gym clothes: a t-shirt emblazoned with the school logo and red shorts. He plopped down in the first row.
"Hamlet's soliloquy...." I began.
Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, Chad's shirt came off. I saw a smooth, tanned, muscular torso.
And shocking. My jaw dropped. I could not have been more surprised, not even if the whole class disrobed in front of me.
The room became very silent. All eyes were on Chad as he carefully folded his shirt and put it in his gym bag.
Oblivious to the staring eyes, Chad took his gym trunks off. Underneath was a well-packed jock strap.
Finally I was able to speak. "Um...Chad?"
 |
| Hell-fer-Sartain State College |
"What are you doing?"
"What do you mean?" Next a fresh t-shirt came out of the gym bag and wrapped onto his muscular body. And a notebook and pen to take notes. He looked like a college student.
I continued my lecture, and called Chad up to my desk after class. His excuse was: "I didn't want to be late."
Apparently students in Australia changed clothes in the classroom all the time.
Or maybe he just did it for my benefit. One day near the end of the semester, he came to my office, started crying, and revealed that he was attracted to guys! Did that mean he was gay? His parents would disown him! Basically the same strategy Viju used last year to determine if Professor Singer was gay.
I offered hand-on-shoulder support, but didn't reveal anything. In 1984, gay faculty in Texas would be fired, no questions asked.