Conversation

I am sitting here on a warm winter evening, windows open, listening to the rustling leaves and the mournful song of the train whistles passing in the night. Intruding on that, my phone trills. A student has sent me an email. They have a question about the assignment. The one I issued last Thursday. At 9:10pm, they have a question about an assignment issued last week, and that is due tomorrow at 2:00pm.

Listening to the leaves rustling, and the trains singing...