Wedding bells, or tinnutis?
China takes a nap from 12:30-2 every afternoon, and my classes don't wake again until at least 3, so I always start my 2 p.m. class with some shocking news, completely fictitious, to jolt them out of their slumber.
Today, for example, I started by saying, "I have an important announcement to make," which was met with snores, and then said, "I am getting married this weekend." The few awake students shook the arms of their sleeping neighbors, whispers turned into shrieks of glee, and a roar of applause then shook the room, every student standing. Then I told them I was lying and told them the real news: "Your textbooks are now available in Zhuzhou. Buy a copy before next class."
My classes are well used to these tactics, but they never cease to work: the class wakes, on the shadow of a doubt that, for once, I may actually not be full of hooey. Once they're awake and alert, class can then proceed. And everyone, by now, understands not to believe the fake news that leads the broadcast.
Or so I thought. Today, in my class illegally sat a certain law professor, who just sent an email, subject head "to the happy, happy man." Here's the jist:
hi Daniel
Did I hear it clearly that in this afternoon you told us a good news that you have married ?oh,if it 's true ,first ,I should express my feeling of the welcome ,welcome you became one of the members who was in the family wall,just like me. then,second,wish you have wonderful marriage life,just unlike me who used to be.
of couse ,it is definetly a good news,and i think maybe you made the decison after long thinking ,marry is a important thing ,but when i made my decision ,i was so young and know nothing about it .i made my decision on my marriage rappidly,so i decide made another decision about marriage slowly and slowly with long thinking ,such as devorce and all that jazz.
i ever heard you have said you are a man who is difficult to understand.take it easy,if you love her,you 'll try you best to understand and bear her,so the same does she.
so,the last,congratulations! the lucky and happy man.
hellen
