University of Virginia Library

A's Under J

When we asked if we could see
the chairman, she replied that she
would first have to ask him if he
were in. She stepped inside a
telephone booth and placed a

long-distance call. In a moment, she
reemerged in smiles and announced
the chairman would see us.

Removing a shoe and taking a
slip of paper out; the secretary
studied a series of numbers. Chewing
the paper up and swallowing it,
she went to work on the combination
lock on the chairman's door.

With a rusty creak, the door
swung open and the blanched face
of an elderly gentleman peered
from behind a well-worn typewriter.
"They look mighty young
to me," he remarked warily.

"They're all right," the secretary
chimed. "Do you want me to file
the Albinsky papers?"

"Yes," the chairman replied,
"The A's go under J this week."

As we sat down in the office's
gloom, we attempted to break the
ice by asking him what he felt
about the student rebellions. "Terrible,"
he snapped. "We're so
disappointed that the students are
using their minds, instead of just
accepting what we tell them."

We decided to change the
subject and asked him what the
subject of his latest article was.

"Current events," he croaked.
"But how do they expect me to
ever finish it if I always have to be
teaching and sitting on committees?"

We took the hint and backed
out the vaulted door of his office.
But before we could complete our
the chairman's voice called out
to us, "Oh, by the way, do you
know how to spell Coolidge?"