The fine lyin'

So we were in the class of The Prof when he made an announcement.

"I have a very interesting video I want to show you but I'm not sure if I should. Actually I feel guilty when I show my class videos, because while they're watching it, I just sit there and do nothing. I feel like I'm not doing my job. What do you think?"

"But sir, if we all want to watch the video, you have no reason to feel guilty." I gathered the courage to say it.

"Hmmm... I know you would all prefer watching a video to listening to me talk and bore you to death, isn't it?"

Our silence showed that we did not disagree.

So he decided to play the video. There was a slight murmur of celebration in the class. We love videos. Whenever our professors play videos, they dim all the lights and we can each do what we want, especially if the video is really boring. Half of the class takes a nap, while the other half engages in other forbidden behaviour in class such as eating, drinking and smsing their friends about how sleepy they are. I myself have finished half a sandwich and a can of iced lemon tea while a video was going on. All that, being the geeky girl that I am in class, while sitting in the first row.

He started playing the video, and then paused it.

"I suppose you want me to keep the lights on, in case you want to take notes?" He asked.

There was a silent collective gasp of horror.

"Notes??" One of my classmates exclaimed.

"You will not take notes??" He sounded offended.

"No sir, we don't need to. We'll watch it with full concentration." Another cheeky classmate chirped. (I swear it wasn't me. I wouldn't have thought we could have gotten away with that.)

He agreed.

So out went the lights and the video started. It was about political campaigns in the US, and soon half the class went to sleep. I did not have any food or drinks on me, so I actually sat and watched the video.

An hour later, the video came to a sudden end and he switched on the lights rather abruptly, while some of my classmates were still rubbing their eyes.

And that's when his eyes caught something.

"You...!" He said to a girl sitting in the back row.

We all turned to see whom he was talking to. It was a girl, and she'd been caught pressing the keys of her mobile phone.

Another silent collective gasp of horror.

"You... you know you have violated my classroom rules?" He continued to look at her sternly.

Yet another silent collective gasp of horror.

Our hearts went out to the girl, as we waited for the big telling-off.

Without batting an eyelid, the girl said, "Oh, I was recording the video on my phone for my reference, sir. Now I'm just saving it in my folder."

"Oh! Then it's okay." He said, delighted that someone found the video so interesting to actually record it.

I bow to thy presence of mind, missy.

Either mobile phones can really record 1-hour videos or we were in the company of the world's most skilful liar.