“Toot, toot, too-tooooooo!” Some students with deep voice moaned, and we all looked encouragingly at Bolenciecwcz. Somebody else gave a fine imitation of a loccomotive letting off steam. Mr. Bassum himself rounded off the little show. “Ding, dong, ding, dong,” he said hopefully. Bolenciecwcz was staring at the floor now, trying to think, his great brow furrowed, his huge hands rubbing together, his face red.
“How did you come to college this year, Mr. Bolenciecwcz?” Asked the professor. “Chuffa, chuffa, chuffa, chuffa.”
“My father sent me.” Came the reply.
“What on?” Asked Bassum.
“I got an allowance,” said his student, in a low, husky voice, obviously embarrassed.
“No, no,” said Bassum.“Name a means of transportation. What did you ride here on?”
“Train,” said Bolenciecwcz.
“Quite right,” said the professor. “Now, Mr. Nugent, will tell us...”
我不喜歡的另外一門課程是經濟學,但是我還是努力通過了這門課程。盡管這兩門課程對我理解這兩門學科毫無益處,我還是在上完植物學課之後徑直去上經濟學課了。我經常混淆這兩門課的內容。與選經濟學課的另外一名學生相比,我沒有他混淆得厲害,他是下了物理實驗室課後直接來上經濟學課的。他叫波蘭西維茨,教他的大多數教授都很仁慈,一直以來對他都很照顧。在課堂上回答問題的時候,瘦小靦腆的經濟學教授巴森給他的提示最多,所提的問題也比較簡單。一天,正好輪到波蘭西維茨回答問題,那天講的是到運輸和分銷部分的內容。教授說:“請說出一種運輸工具的名稱。”然而,波蘭西維茨的兩眼毫無光彩。教授又說:“任何一種運輸工具都可以。”
波蘭西維茨坐在位子上,盯著教授。教授繼續補充道:“從一個地方到達另外一個地方的任何介質、工具或者方式。”波蘭西維茨一臉困惑,像要被帶到溝裏去一樣。