Plagiarism

I had an interesting experience at my law school graduation. The commencement speaker (An unfortunate choice that I will not go into but suffice it to say he was the man standing at the front of the room when my imaginative class was asked to select one -- I was absent) used words and ideas that I had written in his speech. I was speechless. Here's how it happened.

He asked the class to tell him who our heroes are so he could figure out what to say at our commencement. I, being always at the ready, promptly whipped out paper and pen and told him:

"Justice Jackson because he stood in front of the entire world and said if we don't give the Nazis a fair trial, one which risks a not guilty verdict, then we will never be able to call ourselves better than they are." (Or something substantially similar).

He was not aware of Justice Jackson's role in the trials so I said "I've written an essay! I shall email it to you." And I did. Flash forward to graduation day where he stands at the podium and gives a speech based a great deal on my essay using MY EXACT WORDS at times. Shock. and AWE. Who the fuck does this guy think he is?!?

So I emailed him again and said "Liked the speech. You know how I feel about The Mob." He emailed me back, and I am not kidding... He emailed back and said "Well, I was trying to think of a way to say that and I owe some credit to your essay but no one remembers these things anyway. After all, I don't remember who spoke at my graduation."

I was the picture of restraint by not saying "That's probably because your work was not plagiarized."

So, I am on the phone with a long-lost friend last night. We haven't talked in awhile but were still good. and I am telling him this story. I hit the part where I offer to send an essay and he starts laughing. "ONLY YOU Penny. Only you would say HEY! I wrote an essay let me send it to you." True.

True that Homey G.

So, Loyal Blog Monkeys (if there are any left) will know that I once wanted to think of myself as "Hot When Naked Writer Chick". Clearly I get the writer chick part. Only Penny can whip an essay out on you, at a moments notice. Only Penny gets plagiarized at her own graduation. But here's the new part. Here's the news. I am pretty hot when naked now, too.

R{K}G