My studies, my cross and my calvary: everything is possible

Chapter One

It's 5 p.m. when Professor Sauveur's red BMW X8 drives through the faculty gate. Without hurrying, he takes his time to find a good place to park in the small parking lot, which is already full. Students scattered across the faculty courtyard, their eyes full of admiration, watch him. Being the object of so much attention always makes the professor smile inwardly. He feels important and loves to feel above this pedestal.

In addition to occupying a flesh and blood position in the faculty, Mr. Sauveur is Technical Director in a public company and a consultant in a renowned private institution. Judging by the look on his face, it hasn't been an easy day and his sociological theory students are going to be the ones to pay the price. For the 5 years he has been teaching this course, when he enters the room, he always causes a big commotion. The students, lost in the episode of a series or immersed in a discussion on the latest political news while waiting for him, manage to quickly find a place before the professor begins his presentation. The good evening he sends to his students is worthy of someone who has been to the dentist to have three molars removed. Before Professor Sauveur settles in as a pianist who is about to give a recital, almost all the students in the room were already in their seats. David, a student in the class, who was sneaking in quietly as the professor was about to begin his call, stumbled with the chair he was carrying and bumped into a student as he passed by. The student uttered a small cry of pain. Professor Saviour looks up over his glasses and says with some contempt:

- You're late and you're disturbing the room!

- Excuse me, sir. But you've just come in," he replied, looking surprised.

- Who are you calling 'Sir', young man?" asked the professor abruptly.

- Uh... (clears throat)

- Did you and I go to the same school? We used to play football together? I have a doctorate and you? What a way to address professors these days! Is this called democracy?

David like a wounded animal tries to make up an excuse but can't find the words. The poor man doesn't know whether he should find a place quickly or turn back. The other students follow this little scene without saying a word. After a few endless seconds of hesitation, David finally decides to put his chair in a corner and sit down meekly in silence. Then the teacher begins the call, proud of the cemetery silence that his outburst has provoked.

- Bredius?

No one answers.

- This one's always late, if not absent.

Then he starts counting the student's absences and lateness in other sheets and declares:

- "You can tell him to stop coming to class. He is already on his third late shift. Are you at the university to study or just wandering around? In my day, students were always on time. Except when they were sick! But now it's democracy, students think they can do anything. And you say the old men have failed!

No one dares say a word. It's total silence. The professor continues his call. Thirty minutes later, he puts his list in a binder and decides to begin. Then Gabie, a young girl from the pulpit, shows up at the door...

- Excuse me, professor. I was there, but since you hadn't arrived yet, I took the opportunity to print out a paper," explained the student, blotting her forehead with a towel.

- Really?" said the professor. Well I'm sorry for you my lady, but I just finished the call. You're absent for today's class. he said looking smug.

- But," Gabie began in a vain attempt to defend herself...

- There's no buts about it. Either you're present at the time of the appeal or you're absent," he almost shouted at the young girl who, bubbling with anger, left the room speechless.

She could have tried to convince the professor, but she knows that there is very little chance she will win. With Professor Savior, one can only accept decisions, however capricious they may be. Gabie knows that. All the students know it. And yet they love their teacher's strong character. They can't help but worship him in a way that's as sincere as it is irrational.

Professor Sauveur has a doctorate from a major university in France. And in Haiti, we don't mess with titles. If the person earned his degree in a foreign land, it's ten times more valuable... It's not uncommon, in an exchange between students, for someone to support an argument tooth and nail just because Professor Sauveur once said so in a lecture.

- Pass out the homework. Has everyone read the paper I submitted last time? We'll comment on it together and then I'll ask a few questions. Those who can't answer will be given points.

All students look at each other.

- Teacher Savior! Dare to say Zaggy a student with nascent dreadlocks. We've been to the library, but the text is not available. We couldn't find it on the internet either.

- Oh, well, that's good. I'm sure you were able to find some kerosene to torch the car last Tuesday, right? You're good at violent protests, but you're not good at finding a text and reading it.

- I've never torched a car in my life, Professor Savior," Zaggy defends himself solemnly. Or take part in violent demonstrations.

- And I've never masturbated!" replied the professor disdainfully.

This last sentence provoked some laughter in the room. The professor then began a long story about how the university functioned when he was a student under the government of Jean Claude Duvalier and the sacrifices he had to make to obtain texts. According to the professor, it is up to the students to find the texts, whether they are available in the library or not. He overlooks the fact that every library at the State University faces a serious shortage of books and that many colleges and universities across the country are completely devoid of them. And if by a happy coincidence the students manage to find these texts, they cost an arm and a leg. That's a whole month's pocket money for a student of modest means. Academics in Haiti have not been able to take advantage of the digital revolution. The internet connection, when you do manage to access it, is very bad.

Meanwhile, time passes. Night begins to fall and, after a glance at his watch, the professor says:

- You'll have to find this text yourself. I don't care how you do it, but this text exists somewhere, so find it! Next week you will have a test. Having said that, I just want to say good night.

He picks up his satchels, puts them under his arm and leaves the room under the astonished gaze of the students. Those who had taken their notebooks out put them gently back in their bags. They had only written down the date. Not even the chapter that the teacher should see that day. Despite the professor's doctorate, on that Friday he hardly touched on anything concrete in the long twenty-three page syllabus he passed to his students at the beginning of the session.

Professor Sauveur left his students as he had found them. Walking down the few steps to the university parking lot, he ran into the coordinator and exchanged a brief greeting. He opens the door of his car, puts his towel and jacket in the back seat and drives off. A good twenty metres further on, he notices Gabie's silhouette. He stops at the height of the student.

- Where were you? Professor Saviour asked him as he rolled down his window. I looked for you on the college courtyard.

- I was with my boyfriend, Gabie answered an angry.

- Did you get angry with me? It's me who should be angry with you. I called you all morning and you didn't answer my calls. I had to punish you; I missed you too much.

Gabie doesn't say a word and stares at the teacher.

- Come here, my Gabie. I have two hours free in front of me. Just long enough to earn your forgiveness.