Pen Theft in Pummill 203 (and Almost Murder)

I recently had a situation in my class like none I'd ever expected. During a workshop session, I was hurriedly making last-minute comments on a few papers I wanted to hand back before class was out. I was using a green pen, and when one of my students asked for an assignment handout, I had to quickly run upstairs to the GA office to retrieve one for her. As I made it back downstairs, I was feeling very rushed--I wasn't sure if I'd have sufficient time to give quality comments on the papers and return them.

As I sat down, I couldn't find my green pen. I moved my chair and looked under the table. It wasn't there. Audibly, I said,"I can't find my pen," and a few students laughed and crooked their necks to look around on the floor to assist me in my search. I didn't have time for this. Luckily, a student let me borrow a pencil, so I wiped the sweat from my brow and starting marking.

A few minutes later, I was stressing hardcore. I happened to look around the room to make sure groups were successfully talking and staying on topic, and out of the corner of my eye, I spotted one of my laziest students (poor work, poor attendance, poor work ethic) writing with my pen. I almost freaked.

"John (fake name), is that my pen?" I was standing now, and the class had hushed. Never had they heard my voice so emotional and panicked or my face so "pissy." He looked down at his hand, as if to remind himself.

"Yeah." He didn't move.

I shook my head in disbelief. "Why did you take my pen?"

"Because I forgot mine," he said. But he didn't move. It was obvious that I was upset and that I wanted my green pen back, but the kid just sat there staring at me. I didn't blink. I was like a wild-west gunslinger with my hand on my holster. The next words came out slowly and were cynical, much like the opening of Kill Bill.

"Give me my pen, and don't you ever touch my stuff, again."

He stood and handed me the pen, and I wanted to take him by the throat and toss him through the glass window. But I didn't. My students could tell I was really upset--baffled, really--and they went back to work quickly.

The thing that gets to me most about this story is the lack of respect that the student had for me and my personal belongings. I could even understand if he would have taken my pen, irresponsibly, and forgotten to give it back when I walked into the room, but it was the look in his beady little insect eyes when asked if he had my pen, and he responded, "Yeah," making no motion to willfully give it back. I seriously wanted to punch this dude in the face.

I finished commenting on the papers, and the student still sucks.