By the time the professor walked into the classroom there was a small crowd around my seat. The older man walked to his desk, set down his briefcase and cleared his throat. The class took its seat and only then did the teacher get a good look at me. He opened his mouth to speak and then closed it. He thought over something and then launched into his revised speech.

"I was going to welcome all of you with my traditional speech that I have used for over a dozen years but today is not the day for that. I want each and every one of you to know that...