Inevitability

I
Science fiction grand master Arthur C Clarke died on Wednesday. Honestly, I have not read any of his works though quite a few of them, like Childhood’s End, have been high on my to-read list for a long time. I moved on to contemporary science fiction after I was finished with Isaac Asimov. Beyond science fiction, Clarke was renowned as a proponent of satellite communications as wells as the space elevator.

II
Semester 2, 2007/2008 is now over but for the coming final examinations. Among the students who came to see during the week was one who was worried about his grades. Unless he manages to score at least 78% in the final examination, which is very unlikely, he has already flunked the course. I didn’t even recognize his face. He asked if I could do something to help him pass. What, now?

When I asked him to explain himself missing classes and quizzes during the semester, which explained why I didn’t recognize him from my class, he was evasive. I should just take his word on it, is it?

“I had a personal problem” he said.
“What was the problem?”
“It was, well, personal, sir”

I said no. I told him that he had had the whole semester to come to see me for help; I told him that on principle it would be grossly unfair to others who would also have use for some extra marks. It is time that he faces the consequences of his actions, or rather inactions.

He left, and I felt terrible. I felt terrible because I realized then that though I definitely wouldn’t give him any extra assignments, I might have considered offering him to take the quizzes he missed, if only he told me what his problem was. Never mind that I still think that he will fail the course.

On the other hand, I suppose I should have learned to expect this sort of thing at the end of every semester.