It is a well established fact that I am a nerd. I eat, sleep and pee nerd. I have an entire collection of BBC mini-series, I think a bunny nose is proper attire, I write entire columns about my inability to date the male species.
Conclusion: I am nerd.
I have to draw the line at some point though, and for me that point is token animals. During my first day in my African American Literature class our professor turned to the class and said something along the lines of “Ok everybody, we are going to go around the circle and each person will say their name and the names of the people in front of them, until we get all the way around and the last person says every single persons name.”
Now at this point I was ready to gouge my eyes out. I can barely remember my own name, let alone the names of 35 strangers. Nick, Erica, Tutti Frutti… they are all the same to me. Unfortunately, I did not have a choice in the matter and was prepared to cry, but then, as is my luck, it got worse.
“Let’s make this a little more fun,” said my teacher. “Why don’t you say your name AND your totem animals.”
In lizzie mcguire fashion, my inner soul said at this point “What the f is a ‘token animal.’”
Luckily for me, teacher lady elaborated.
“The animal your soul associates with.”
This has got to be candid camera. Where are you Ashton? Am I being Punk’ed. CAUSE THIS CAN’T BE REAL LIFE.
Anyway, it was and teach proceeded to ask which way we should start the circle. I had happened to end up directly to the teachers right and I shot my hand up in the air like my ass was on fire and the raising my hand would result in a bucket of water being splashed on my derriere. Needless to say half the class laughed at me, but hey, better they laugh at me now then throw binders at me later when I call Nick, Stewie and Lacy, Tony.
The only thing I hadn’t thought of was that by raising my hand, I then had to go first. A problem considering I had never associated my soul with any animal before. So, what did I do?
I said my name and then the first animal that came to my mind.
A sheltie.
….
I should have gone last and braved the name remembering.
<3 Keep Blabbing
Jane
P.S. to add insult to injury I had to hear the rest of the class repeat my name and my totem animal for the rest of the class… Jane, Sheltie. Jane, Sheltie. Jane, Sheltie.
