In Another World

After I retired, I used to attend classes held for seniors at Sonoma State University, which were both edifying and entertaining. The following essay describes my experience as I attend one class.

I slip unobtrusively into my seat in the classroom - glancing around to see who has come this day. I am as usual late by a few minutes, but I sit in the back row and no one seems to notice. The teacher is already into his lecture, making unintelligible notations on the blackboard. The topic of today is how Bank of America is ripping us off and aiding and abetting corporate corruption. The students listen in rapt silence.
I stealthily look around. There in the aisle opposite me is Mr. Clean, a small pleasant little fellow dressed impeccably in sports shirts and slacks, as neat as a pin. He has been both attentive and courteous to me, picking up my papers when I drop them and helping me out of my chair when I get stuck trying to arise. He comes alone and seems eager for companionship. He is a psychiatrist, learned in the matter of sociopaths, now retired.
But just in front of him, also across the aisle, is a student who defies description. I can best picture him as resembling a bag of rags. His face is hidden by a large, floppy hat, he has long, unkempt hair and beard, and believe it or not, his jeans are held up by a piece of clothesline. But wait. He asks a question. At that point, I realize that here is a man of intelligence and accomplishment, a man who once held an important position in the world of technology. Is his garb and presentation a spoof on our subject of study? Or is he a true eccentric? I view him in a new light after he speaks.
The entire class is composed of students who have not only earned masters and doctorates but have owned successful businesses, have held political office, have been doctors and dentists, attorneys, teachers, accountants, the whole spectrum of the professional life. What am I doing here, I ask myself. Can I hope to gain knowledge of the corporate world from a series of five lectures?
I am learning more than I realize. Simply by observing the students, I am gaining an insight into the vast spectrum of personalities and lifestyles of the senior population. I hope someone is studying us, we are a fascinating group.