Signing Off

Attaining my graduate degree was a bit of a process. I took the long road with a few side trips to stop and smell the roses, I suppose. But, I finished and have that piece of paper. That's all that matters, right? That you finish.

My adviser and I had built a relationship during that long and winding time. I trusted him and had faith in him and an immense amount of respect. He called me on my b.s. and I tried to make him laugh. Then he would call me on my b.s. some more. He was very highly ranked in the graduate school, the dean of the program, actually.

Because the road to graduation had been so winding, I was a little nervous about meeting with him to have him sign off on my graduation paperwork. Excited, yet nervous. I'm sure you understand. His office contained his desk with visitor chairs, as well as a large, oblong conference table. We always sat at this table when we would meet. Perhaps it was to make me more comfortable, perhaps it was because we had a lot of paperwork to go over. I don't know. It's just how it went.

He combed through all my steps and missteps, right there in black and white for him to see. Not that he wasn't already aware of the many times I'd wandered away to smell those roses, but it's still a little disheartening to have it all compiled into a neat little file. Let the nail biting commence!

He said things like, "Good, good, good....", and then would make a teeth sucking noise like I had seriously offended him and say, "Oooh...ok, but we have this. Good..." I kept thinking he was going to find something that would make all the cards come crashing down and I would be forced to continue taking classes for the next five years.

But then, he said, "Looks like you are good to go. I just need to sign this and you will be graduating." YES! Hallelujah! I had done it!

Then he asked me for a pen. "I can't seem to find my pen, do you have one so I can sign?", he said. Sure, right here! I dug in my bag and pulled out a blue pen that Kev had brought home from the hospital. You know, those drug rep pens are good writing pens.

As I was handing him the blue pen, I realized it said Viagra on the side. I hoped he wouldn't notice. He didn't say anything. Just signed his signature and we said our goodbyes and I was on my way.

I had stopped by his secretary's desk to finish a few additional items of business and I heard him come bounding out of his office. "KELLY! You forgot your pen!!!!"

I said, "Oh, but you could have kept it. I have tons of other pens."

"No, no, no! I insist. I can't have a pen like this lying around my office," he said.

Was he blushing? Oh my! I think at that point I probably started blushing myself, told him thank you, and went on my way.

So the big, bad Viagra pen was no match for the dean of the graduate school.

And I graduated having the knowledge that even the long and winding road can get you to your destination and issues like erectile dysfunction make some people very uncomfortable. And of course, I will always remember that my ticket to graduation was signed with a Viagra pen.

I hope everyone has an easy and uplifting Tuesday!

xoxo