Face-Palm Time

I spoke to Marlie earlier today and I'm more than slightly concerned.

Marlie: "Fuck."

Me: "Hello?"

"Hikari, I screwed up." She sounded extremely shaken. Usually Marlie's tone is cool. Collected. Sometimes amused. But never trembling and quiet. I couldn't imagine what had happened to make her sound like that. I had been walking and talking on the phone, and I actually sat down on a bench somewhere.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"No, no, nothing physically. But I messed up and now I have to drop one of my classes."

"What? Why?"

"The professor and I... had an argument."

Apparently, she had been in her first Intro to Philosophy class this morning. The professor, for whatever reason, had wandered onto the topic of rebirth, soul mates, what happens to the soul after it dies, etc.

He asked the class, “Who thinks one soul can latch onto the other and hold onto it for eternity?"

Marlie raised her hand slightly, then put it back down. The professor noticed it.

“Marlie, was it? Do you agree with that statement?"

“Maybe. I was thinking that I mostly believe in the idea that a soul can find its other half. It’s more reasonable to believe that two halves of a soul would gravitate toward each other in life than two separate souls."

Here, for whatever reason, the professor disagreed. “I’m not sure about that. I really don’t believe in soul mates myself.” (Just on a side note, I hate it when professors insert their own opinions into the class…)

“I do.” Marlie wasn’t letting this go. Maybe just because she’s Marlie. Maybe because it was early. Maybe because she missed me.

“Do you have any proof to back up your belief?” he asked. According to Marlie, he had “a stupid little shit smirk on his fucking face”. She couldn’t resist.

“Yeah, I do,” she answered. As horribly as this situation ends, I can’t help smiling right now as I picture her stubborn chin jutting out and her lips clamped down in a scowl. She’s so beautiful and so… Marlie, when she gets all fired up. “I’ve met the other half of my soul.”

Here, the professor outright chuckled. “Uh-huh,” he said, clearly not believing her. “Well, I encourage you to return here in fifty years hence and tell me if you still think this person’s what you think they are.”

“I would, but you’ll be dead,” Marlie answered.

Everyone, face-palm with me right now.

The professor took it as a death threat, though Marlie only meant that, seeing as the man is about 60 and smokes three packs a day, it’s unlikely he’ll make it to the age of 110. He kicked her out of the class and tried to make her get a ‘fail’ for it, but she’s going over to Academic Affairs to argue her case this morning. Oh, Marlie… I hope you stay cool-headed enough to impress the secretary there so she’ll sign you up for another class…