Clarity

I am leaving for Jeju island today.  Google them if you wish to feel jealous.

Midterms have just taken place.  There has been some trouble with the exams.  In short, one class was not taught one example that appeared on the test.  About eight students from that class have been in the teachers' office every day since to harangue us about it.  A meeting is being convened, I am told.  I am told, but I am not invited, but after I am told the teacher stands and waits, and waits.  I guess that perhaps she would like me to talk.


I say that I don't know how the system for dealing with this sort of thing works.  I ask if it would be possible maybe just to cleave that question for the exam for the 40 students in that class.  Render it null and simply make their exam out of 29 instead of 30, or 99 instead of 100 or whatever it may be.  But I don't use those words like cleave or null.  I try and be as clear as I possibly can.  And I am not even suggesting, I am only asking if that is a possibility that they would consider because I don't know the procedure, I don't know what can be done and what can not.  


I finish and she looks at me.  She looks at me.  She looks at me.  She keeps looking at me, her mouth set in a dead straight flat line.  She says finally, much too long for the answer to feel hooked on to the question, "yes." And then she slowly backs away and leaves.  And I have no idea, no idea at all if I gave her what she wanted out of our brief but hanging conversation.