The Oral Exam

Three serious faculty people face me across the massive wooden table. I am in the "hot seat." I have studied up for the areas where I know I didn't do as much as needed on the written exam. I hope I am ready.

First round. I do answer his questions to his satisfaction. Whew! We have a pleasant conversation. I am more at ease.

Second round. More questions, covering several areas. I am able to answer them to her satisfaction though I stumble a bit trying to think of a score example. I finally latch onto one that works. Whew! Still OK.

Third round. We clear up a couple of little things, its going well. Then the killer question. Naming Luther's hymns for the parts of the Ordinary in the Mass. Yikes. I gulp. I draw a blank. I stumble around a bit. I have to finally admit that I just don't know. I see myself falling down in flaming defeat. Oh, no. I did look at this, but the names of the hymns just don't seem to match the use in the service. I can't bring it back no matter how hard I try to visualize the paper I studied from.

They ask me to step from the room to deliberate. I move down the hall, staring unseeing out a window. Time ticks by. More time. I am getting worried. I may fail because of the hymn question. I am truly concerned. At long last, they call me back. A smile breaks out and I am given the thumbs up! I am so relieved. We shake hands all around. And I determine to study up on Luther's hymns. Really. Even if I'm not a Lutheran.

All that remains before I get my diploma is to finish the dissertation corrections and get that on deposit. It has been a long, long road. I am almost there.