Sorry to bother you, I was just waiting for Godot

An exchange that occurred minutes ago, when I went to the computer lab mistakenly expecting it to be open on Friday night during exams:

[Two Hopkins security officers and a janitor are standing at the door of the lab with the alarm going off. Thinking they are there to silence a false alarm, I start to walk in.]

SKINNY OFFICER [punching at keypad]: It's closed.

ROUND OFFICER [standing at the ready]: You can't go in.

Me: Oh, uh...

SKINNY OFFICER [still punching at keypad]: Were you going in there? You can't, it's closed.

Me: I--

ROUND OFFICER: It's closing now.

Me: What time--

SKINNY OFFICER: You can't go in there, it's closed.

Me: I didn't know it closed, sorry. What time--

ROUND OFFICER: It's closed for the night.

SKINNY OFFICER: You can't go in.

Me: Yes, but what time does it open in the morning?

SKINNY OFFICER: I don't know. [looks at ROUND OFFICER]

ROUND OFFICER: I don't know.

Janitor: It opens at 8 am.

Me: Thanks.

War on Christmas

From an article in the Washington Post about crusading conservatives who are angry that President Bush sent a "holiday" card instead of a "Christmas" card:

"'I think it's more important to put Christ back into our war planning than into our Christmas cards,' said [National Council of Churches] general secretary, the Rev. Bob Edgar, a former Democratic congressman.

Amen.


(I'll finally get around to writing a real post in the next few days.)