Expectation, Reality, Time, and Money

Well, I was walking through the library today, and i saw a book title in one of the aisles, "Medieval French Bridges." A few years back, before coming to this school, i would have looked at the title and said, "That is an architecture book about Medieval French bridges." Now, however, thanks to 1-1/2 years of University education and the livening of my intellect, after briefly thinking, "Ah, architecture book...," I realized how foolish it was to think this, and concluded that it could be nothing other than a book on etymological "bridges" in/to/with Medieval French. How silly it had been of me.

Do you ever wonder whether all of the time you spend at school and in the library is coming to any good? In the Grand Scheme of things, it isn't too important, i suppose, but as it turned out, the book indeed was about Medieval French bridges. And so i chuckled to myself. Nope, the truth is that my being here is just an expensive way of getting a few painful kicks, and i was much better off without this "livened intellect."

A complete and aesthetically pleasing end to this story -- and one suggesting that I, the writer, am filled with a desire for an extensive and impressive erudition -- would sound something like, "In the end, it didn't matter what the title referred to, because i would have checked it out anyway (of course, either of the topics would interest me very much)," but i'm afraid that although i am sure it is a fascinating book about Medieval French bridges (or had it alternatively been about Medieval French bridges), I have better things to do with my time for the next couple of decades. And had i checked it out, it probably would have just sat in the trunk of my car and ended up costing me a dollar fine because i forgot about it -- like most of the things i check out (but not all).