With the new year comes a new round of high school students applying to Brown that I have the pleasure of interviewing. I cannot emphasize enough what a pleasure it is to speak with these young men and women--they do so much to restore my faith in humanity. Today was my first round of the 2012 crop.
I was standing in the local coffee shop where I typically conduct these interviews. I was waiting for my drink, and trying to scope out a place to sit. A table was opening up, and I was getting ready to make my move, when I saw her.
In addition to myself, the city of Eugene is home to a handful of Brown alumni. Other than a pudgy, older gentleman who is a recreational cyclist, I can't say I've ever had a conversation with any of them, but I know they're out there. We saw each other. I knew who she was. She knew who I was. What I didn't know was whether or not she knew that I knew that she knew who I was, and she was unsure if I knew that she knew that I knew who she was. What was absolutely clear was that there was no way I could conduct a Brown interview sitting next to a Brown alumna.
"Excuse me, I hate to interrupt but I wouldn't want you to get the impression that Brown is filled with nothing but overweight, antisocial, math geeks."
Of all the places in town to be at 11am on a Sunday morning, why'd she have to be there? Thankfully, just then, a table opened up just around the corner. I took a seat just minutes before my first interviewee arrived. The interviews themselves went smoothly--at least from my perspective. Just a couple more great kids who will hopefully be getting a big envelope in the mail this May. On my way out, we noticed each other again. I'm not certain if she knew what I just did, but I think we were both thankful I didn't take the adjacent table.
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