Who said Computer Science was boring?
So, one of our grad students went to the grad lounge door, which is right next to mine but around the corner (it's basically all I can see when I look out my door), and tried to open the door (it's a combo lock). He couldn't get it open (this happens about 987298374 times a day.. nobody remembers the combo), and he came to my door. Ohyeah. He wasn't wearing a shirt. That's not really normal around here.
He said "Excuse me, can you help me?" which generally means they want to know the combo. Which I don't know, but I do have a text file that contains it so I can look it up. I just never bother to memorize it. Anyway.
I look at him bemusedly, figuring there was some funny story about his lack of shirt, and he covers up his chest and says "Sorry", and doesn't seem like he's in any way amused. I start to look up the combo, and he mutters something like "I need a shirt" or "I need some clothes" and he comes into my office, walks past me, and picks up my jacket off the back of one of my chairs and puts it on. He then mutters something about water, and I didn't respond 'cause I didn't understand him. He says "Do you have any water? I need water." I said I didn't, and he points at my waterbottle. I picked it up and showed him it was practically empty. But there was a little bit in the bottom (mm! backwash!) so he guzzled it down frantically. He started to set it down, then asked if I wanted him to go refill it. I said I was about to go do that anyway, so don't worry about it.
Then I gave him the combo for the door, he went and tried it, and couldn't get it open. I went and opened it for him. He stood in the doorway a second... then he went in. I was really hoping he had a shirt in there which he was putting on. A minute later, he came out, and I just barely saw him as he walked down the hall. I think he might have had a backpack, which he didn't have before.
I sat there, dumbfounded. It had all happened so fast, and was so bizarre, that I hadn't been able to react to it. Plus, you know how sometimes people send off a "don't mess with me" sort of vibe? Not necessarily violent. Just.. wrong. That was him.
Anyway, I called up mybloodyself and consulted on what the hell I should do. I knew the guy was one of our grad students, and I was hoping he would just.. bring the jacket back. Like maybe he just realized he was late to class and took off for campus without putting a shirt on, and once his class was over he'd bring it back. We started looking at the grad student pages hoping to find his picture and figure out who he was, then go ask the grad office. While were looking, coworker Barbara comes in and asks if we'd seen what was going on down the hall.. there were police and fire department folk and some student wouldn't come out of the office or something. Dan and I looked at each other and eagerly asked, "Was he wearing a jacket with no shirt?!" She had no idea, and looked at us like we were crazy.
So we head down there. I don't know any details, really. He was in the office with police inside and one standing at the door. I let them know that MY JACKET WAS IN THERE (they said they'd wondered about that). I indicated a strong desire to have it returned to me. The cop said something like "Okay, we'll try to make sure they don't cut it off." He kinda smiled when he said that, but it didn't really seem like he was joking. We milled about in the hall wondering what was going on.
Eventually the EMS showed up with a gurney-like thing with restraints. I redoubled my efforts to make it known I wanted my jacket, since I figured as soon as he was strapped in, there was no getting my jacket back. I even said I'd settle for getting just the gloves out of the pockets, if it came to that.
Eventually the door opened slightly and my jacket was dumped onto a chair in the hall.
It smells really bad. I think a burning is in order. xomox thinks it might be covered in birdflu.
And that's all I know. It was.. very surreal.
He said "Excuse me, can you help me?" which generally means they want to know the combo. Which I don't know, but I do have a text file that contains it so I can look it up. I just never bother to memorize it. Anyway.
I look at him bemusedly, figuring there was some funny story about his lack of shirt, and he covers up his chest and says "Sorry", and doesn't seem like he's in any way amused. I start to look up the combo, and he mutters something like "I need a shirt" or "I need some clothes" and he comes into my office, walks past me, and picks up my jacket off the back of one of my chairs and puts it on. He then mutters something about water, and I didn't respond 'cause I didn't understand him. He says "Do you have any water? I need water." I said I didn't, and he points at my waterbottle. I picked it up and showed him it was practically empty. But there was a little bit in the bottom (mm! backwash!) so he guzzled it down frantically. He started to set it down, then asked if I wanted him to go refill it. I said I was about to go do that anyway, so don't worry about it.
Then I gave him the combo for the door, he went and tried it, and couldn't get it open. I went and opened it for him. He stood in the doorway a second... then he went in. I was really hoping he had a shirt in there which he was putting on. A minute later, he came out, and I just barely saw him as he walked down the hall. I think he might have had a backpack, which he didn't have before.
I sat there, dumbfounded. It had all happened so fast, and was so bizarre, that I hadn't been able to react to it. Plus, you know how sometimes people send off a "don't mess with me" sort of vibe? Not necessarily violent. Just.. wrong. That was him.
Anyway, I called up mybloodyself and consulted on what the hell I should do. I knew the guy was one of our grad students, and I was hoping he would just.. bring the jacket back. Like maybe he just realized he was late to class and took off for campus without putting a shirt on, and once his class was over he'd bring it back. We started looking at the grad student pages hoping to find his picture and figure out who he was, then go ask the grad office. While were looking, coworker Barbara comes in and asks if we'd seen what was going on down the hall.. there were police and fire department folk and some student wouldn't come out of the office or something. Dan and I looked at each other and eagerly asked, "Was he wearing a jacket with no shirt?!" She had no idea, and looked at us like we were crazy.
So we head down there. I don't know any details, really. He was in the office with police inside and one standing at the door. I let them know that MY JACKET WAS IN THERE (they said they'd wondered about that). I indicated a strong desire to have it returned to me. The cop said something like "Okay, we'll try to make sure they don't cut it off." He kinda smiled when he said that, but it didn't really seem like he was joking. We milled about in the hall wondering what was going on.
Eventually the EMS showed up with a gurney-like thing with restraints. I redoubled my efforts to make it known I wanted my jacket, since I figured as soon as he was strapped in, there was no getting my jacket back. I even said I'd settle for getting just the gloves out of the pockets, if it came to that.
Eventually the door opened slightly and my jacket was dumped onto a chair in the hall.
It smells really bad. I think a burning is in order. xomox thinks it might be covered in birdflu.
And that's all I know. It was.. very surreal.