Public Education

The phone rang last night. A perky young random student from my alma mater was calling to “catch up” – Really? With a total stranger? -- and incidentally solicit funds along the way.

First, it’s puzzling. I graduated in 1983, in another city. They called me once when I was still at my student phone number, but not since then. 30 years without a call. How retroactively neglectful of them.

Secondly, it’s creepy. I never gave them this number, any more than I gave them the (correct) home address they wanted me to verify.

Robert was listening to my side of the conversation. He pointed out that this phone isn’t even in my name.

Of course I explained all that to Miss Congeniality. She graciously offered to ask her supervisor how they got my info. Of course the supervisor “didn’t know.”

Universities probably don’t acknowledge the Internet. It’s a conflict of interest.

Little Missy and I had a fine old giggle over how stalker-esque it all seemed, then I got serious and pointed out that it really did. After all this time they had personal information I never gave them, nor ever authorized them to get. It’s not as bad as the guy who followed me around when I was 20, but it still sounds like stalking to me.

She was smart enough to agree, but she still asked for a donation.

I suppose I ought to have been grateful that she got any of what I was saying. Her generation (which is your generation too, sweetie) has no expectation of privacy, after all. You guys know about the Internet. My generation only uses it to propagate pix of their grandchildren. That, and troll eBay.

For the record, I have no children, let alone grandchildren, and I’ve never been on eBay.

She expected me to want to update my file. Was I supposed to be flattered that someone cared if I ever monetized my Philosophy major? That’s a philosophical question. Give me a quarter and the answer will be yes.

Then again, please don’t. They’ll just want the quarter.

In closing, she said, “We still don’t have an email address for you.”

Even though she couldn’t see it, I smiled gently before I answered, “Let’s keep it that way.”

I’m checking my inbox anyhow, just in case.