As the class erupted in laughter, I walked to my seat triumphantly

Although many of my life stories are really funnier, this particular event stands out as unforgettable to me. This happened at the Howard Payne University extension classes held at the Baptist Learning Center of South Texas, Corpus Christi, Texas.

One day in class, the professor came in and went through his usual announcements. When he finished, he gave the class time to add anything to it. Well, I really adored my professor for he was an outstanding person and for no other reason, I wanted to say so and pay him a compliment that day. So, I raised my hand and as he gave me time to speak, I began praising him for being such a good teacher. The lady sitting next to me elbowed me and said loud enough for everyone to hear, "You brown noser." The instructor and many of the students snickered and I felt a little betrayed, for I truly was paying a compliment out of adoration and not because there was a test coming up and I was trying to score points. Well, let me just add, that her comment blessed me to no end and her revelation inspired me to be a little late for class next time we met.

As the names were being called I stood outside the door waiting for my cue. As my name rang out, I strode into class wearing the latest addition to my wardrobe: a brown colored clown's nose. As, the class erupted in laughter, I made my way over to my seat; which was right next to my opinionated lady friend. I must have really caught her off guard, because she had a smile so large on her face, that it actually connected her two ears together. As the laughter grew, eyes began to flood with tears of hysterical joy. The poor lady found herself a victim of her own vocabulary. Fearing she too may lose her composure and burst out laughing, she lowered her face into her hands and chuckled. I sat as though I didn't know what everyone was laughing about. I slowly chewed my gum as I turned and looked at everyone in the eye—and I managed to keep a straight face!

This only upset them even more and for a long time, we had chaos in the classroom. I leaned over to the lady and elbowed her and said, "You know what? You're right." And with that she could stand it no more and came up for air and a hearty laugh. I must admit, she desperately tried not to let me see her laugh, but the pun is mightier than the sword.

In closing, let me say that there are going to be those days when someone is going to call you a brown noser. Let that be the moment you show the world that paybacks are a laugh in. As my Sunday school teacher once said, "If someone offends you, don't curse it, don't nurse it and for Heaven's sake don't rehearse it, but in prayer disperse it and God will reverse it.