Concept: Breaking a Norm


      And so begins ...
             OPERATION DELTA X


1. Description:   [Merle D. Zimmermann]
Experiment Statement:  The purpose of this experiment was to observe
and record the reactions of my comrades of 1 year in my Organic
Chemistry class when I broke with tradition and exited my discussion
section via an open window rather than the door.

Unfortunately for purposes of safety, I forgot to verify the vertical
location of the classroom (2nd floor x_X) before conducting the
experiment.  Fortunately the 2 story drop was softened somewhat by a
prodigous heap of fertilizer that had just been put out that morning,
and my classic "Rolling Crash" technique of landing.

Preconceptions: Before conducting the experiment I did not put much
thought into what the results would be.  I suppose that I expected
that there would be no permanent changes in my social standing amongst
my chemistry classmates.  I also felt that I would get more attention
immediately after and during the experiment.

It was the tuesday a fortnight after the blizzard that surprised
everyone.  I left my Physics discussion at 8a and proceeded to the
chem room, where I joked with other students about the view from the
window, and how boring it was to always leave rooms the same way.

K-, one of the cynical class members who likes to speculate on cool
things, suggested that I could exit the class through the window.
When I noded solemly and said "... hmm ... Interesting..." no one took
me seriously.  The class proceeded as usual until . . .

THE EXPERIMENT PROCEEDED TO STAGE-ZERO:
TA: Well, that about wraps up the nucleophilic aryl substitution
reactions.  Be sure to work hard on the assigned homework problems for
next time!  You may go.

At which point I turned to K-
ME: Hey!  Can you carry my backpack?
K-: What?

I set the bag on the desk next to him and threw the window open.

K-: Hey!  Wait!  You don't mean.. aren't really ..

I jumped onto the window sill and started doing my trademark "Falling
Crash Roll."

K-: Hey! It wasn't my idea ! Don't .. !

At which point I disappeared over the sill edge.

Several moments later, after I recovered my center, I rose and caught
a few phrases from above.

"Did he just ..?"
  "I think ..."
"The window?  What?"
K-: He just jumped out of the window !?
   "Where's Merle?"
 "I didn't think he was actually going to /do/ it .."

At which point I walked around to the classroom through the building
and recovered my backpack from the still stunned K-.

Upon noticing my return, he immediately confronted me:  "What did you
do that for?  I thought you were just joking about the window !!"

All the way to Russian History class I was laughing up my sleeve for
the confusion that I caused in my Chem Class.

POST-EXPERIMENT EVALUATION:
I must say that there is something exhilirating about throwing oneself
from a second story window.  However, I would hesitate to repeat this
experiment due to the stunning effects of the "CRASH ROLL" landing,
which is somewhat less than satisfying.

Amongst my classmates, I have lost some of the prestige and standing
that I had gained during my seriousness the previous semester.
However, now that 4 weeks have passed since the execution of the
experiment most of the people in my class are once again willing to
speak to me.

Today (APR 24) I interviewed one of my other classmates, C-, who
reported that after my unexpected exit, most of the people in the room
tried not to have noticed that I had disappeared (unsuccessfully).
This observation was interesting to me.  I need to conduct another
experiment (perhaps next semester!) to collect more dtaa on this.