This takes a while to get going...but please bear with it.
*****
My second year of grad school, I fell into co-authoring a paper with one of my professors. She held dinners for her students where we drunkenly discussed issues, and one of her other students and I got into it over a side point in economic theory which somehow turned into my writing a paper with Professor ___.
She submitted it for publication, and with her reputation we were "quickly" accepted.
The next AEA Conference was going to be in San Francisco, just across the Bay, so I'd be able to attend on my grad student budget. No travel or lodging costs, and free admission as a speaker (even though Professor ___ was going to present on Saturday. She told me to wear a suit or blazer and she'd call me out in the audience).
I got to the convention center Friday morning, picked up my badge, and wandered aimlessly - I'd never been to one of these and had no idea what to do or where to go.
I wandered around, pensive, and grabbed a $3 coffee from the coffee bar. Looking around I saw a young woman who looked my age, and walked over to her. Another grad student, I assumed.
She was short, maybe 5'2" and not skinny - buxom with curvy hips and a bit of a belly - but beautiful wavy black hair contrasting her fine pale skin and a pretty high-cheekboned face with eyes that just gave off intelligence and energy. I figured I'd have someone - another student - to hang out with. Honest, I was too anxious about the paper and being here and the whole grown-up scene to think about flirting.
I looked at her name badge and said "Hi Sarah! Where do you go?", and she looked daggers at me and said "Where do I _teach_, you mean?"
I put up my hands in surrender. "Sorry - you don't look like a professor." She glared more, then looked at my badge and said "You don't look like a speaker," in a puzzled voice.
"I'm not really." I explained my situation, and she laughed. I guess I was rueful enough about it that my misstep was forgotten.
I heard my name over the PA., and turned around, puzzled. Who would be paging me?
"Excuse me?" I said "I have no idea what this is about."
"I'll be here," she said. "I'm waiting for some colleagues."
I wandered off to the registration desk and found someone to talk to. She hustled me back to an office.
"Professor ____ has been in a car accident," she told me. "She called from the hospital where she's been admitted, and she won't be here. She'd like to you present, if you think you can."
"aaaaahhh..." was about all I could say. "I know the material..." And then trailed off.
I'm sure I looked more distressed.
She laughed and patted me on the shoulder. "You've got until tomorrow at 8am to decide. Stop by and let me know."
I walked out, my head spinning. Speak? Here? I'd have to answer questions - maybe hostile questions. I'd look like an idiot. I walked back to the coffee stand, lost in thought.
By the time I got there I'd recovered some of my cockiness. And maybe I'll impress Sarah, I thought.
I found her chatting with an older couple, drinking coffee.
"So what's up?" she asked as I approached.
"Professor ____ crashed her car and is having surgery. She'll be OK, they say. But if we are going to present our paper, I have to present it tomorrow."
Sarah laughed and the older couple looked thoughtful. I took a moment and explained the situation. The woman frowned and nodded. "This is a great opportunity for you. It sounds like you did some good work and now chance is smiling at you."
Her partner looked at me from under bushy grey eyebrows and asked how much of the work in the paper I'd done.
"In reality, almost all of it. She guided me, and did the final writeup from drafts I did."
"Then, young man, you should present."
They excused themselves and wandered off. Sarah looked at me quizzically. "Bit nervous, eh?"
"Oh yeah. You ever do anything like this?"
"Are you kidding? No, I haven't had a chance to. Come one, I'll prep you. Do you have the materials?"
We sat in a corner of the lobby for six hours as she grilled me up, down, sideways I finally begged off. We'd missed lunch and it was dinner time.
"I'll buy you dinner," I offered.
"OK," she said. "We can keep going over dinner."
"Jeez, no, I need a break..."
She smiled. "I've got an idea. Let's eat room service. That way we can keep going and not disturb anyone."