Sandy Wool

On Tuesday nights, when I travel to Adelanto to teach my business law class, I have to endure a long drive through a lonely, barren desert. When I get there, there is not a whole lot to eat — the only food dispensary available is called “Bravo Burgers” next to the minor-league ballpark. While the linked review speaks highly of the food available there, I’ve been less than impressed. (Perhaps the pastrami is the way to go; there’s always next week.)

But these are not really complaints. No, my gripe this morning is that every damn time I go to this place to teach my class, I get sand and dirt all over my pants. Since I go directly from work this means that my suits get dirty. Now, I know that dirt is the #1 agricultural crop of the Victor Valley, as well as its top mining product (dig through the dirt and what do you get — more dirt!) but that doesn’t mean I want it on my nice suits, particularly the one that I just had dry-cleaned the day before. Wool is, of course, impossible to clean in the traditional fashion, so every time I get this light, fine desert sand on my pants cuffs, the pants have to go back to the dry cleaners.

Maybe I shouldn’t blame the Victor Valley region for its sandiness. Perhaps I should blame the court, with its pitifully inadequate hallway seating, requiring me to periodically crouch or kneel while cutting deals with unlawful detainer litigants. Perhaps I should blame the classroom in the former George AFB, which also requires me to kneel to set up the computer and the projector.

I certainly can blame the classroom’s lack of instructor seating for the agony in my feet and hips when I get home — I’m on standing my feet for three and a half hours with no breaks at all. The students get reasonably comfortable seats, but all I get is a lectern, and my style is to not hide behind a lectern during a presentation. Maybe if The Wife and I actually go to the gym instead of just paying for it I’ll get some muscle tone back and be better able to endure such seemingly-simple tasks without producing such aches and pains later.

In any event, once again I have to send my suits out for cleaning. That cuts in to the financial benefit of teaching the class somewhat. Good thing I don’t do it for the money, right?