I had two associates degrees, or so I believed. One in CAD and one in 3D Imaging and Animation. I had recently earned my bachelors in General Business and was working on a Webmaster Certification at the time. I had been looking for a full time 3D position in Birmingham but there were none to be had. At one point I had agreed to take a 3D job in the Netherlands, but that didn’t pan out. So I had a conversation with my wife. If something didn’t come along soon I would look for something completely different. Maybe something business oriented.

A few weeks later I was asked to take the place of the 3D instructor at the Huntsville campus. I would teach twice a week from 6pm to 10pm. To facilitate this I had to get to my day job by 7am so I could leave by 4pm and make the one hour, forty minute drive to Huntsville.

My first day I had enough gas in my vehicle to make it to Huntsville, but not back. I figured I’d get to HSV and fill up on my return trip. I knew I had very little money in the bank, but I was pretty sure it would be enough to get me home.

At the time I smoked. I ran out of cigarettes on the way and decided to stop and see what my balance was. Maybe I could get a pack of cigarettes and still have enough money to make it home. I stopped at an ATM about 30min south of Huntsville. I had just over $2 in the bank. I remember thinking that I couldnt even withdraw that much.

I resigned myself to possibly asking my new boss for gas money. Maybe he smoked and I could borrow a cigarette from him.

My Program Director was a gentleman named Charles Saunders. I knew nothing about him. I hadn’t even had a conversation with him.

The schools Director was a gentleman named Jim Foster. He was Mr. Saunders boss.

The schools Academic Dean was a gentleman named Dr. Jim Hicks.

(the schools franchise director was a gentleman named Dr. Jim Hutton. This was a re-occurring theme.)

I arrived at the school about 20 minutes early and found my way to Mr. Fosters office. Mr. Foster sat behind a large desk, Dr. Hicks sat in one of the two seats in front of the desk. After introductions Mr. Foster invited me to sit. He explained that the instructor I was replacing was actually very well liked, but had very little knowledge of the subject matter, which had aggravated several of the students. The upset students had complained loudly enough that the instructor was fired without warning and I was hired in his place.

About that time Mr. Saunders blew through the door of the office, briefcase in hand. Angrily and loudly he told Mr. Foster he had no business firing his instructor without going through him, the department head. Additionally, Mr. Saunders was very upset that they had even hired another instructor, again, without bothering to talk to him. Mr. Saunders waved a piece of paper in the air then slammed it down on the desk in front of Mr. Foster, formally delivering his resignation, and stomped out of the room.

Mr. Foster asked me, “Do you think you can handle this?”

I had no gas to get home. The guy I was going to borrow money from just resigned. I certainly wasn’t going to ask him or Dr. Hicks for cigarettes or money, so I had to buy time to figure out what I would do. I had to answer, “Yes.”

Mr. Foster told Dr. Hicks he would take me to the classroom.

The classroom was in a different building than the administrative offices. We walked quietly up a hill, through a glass door, and into a classroom of about 12 students. All quietly sitting in their chairs, facing the front of the room.

Mr. Foster introduced me very matter-of-factly. No real CV, just, “This is Lee Cox. He’s your new instructor,” and walked out.

I was aware that a majority of the students were very, very angry because their favorite teacher had been let go without warning, and here was a new guy they knew nothing about. The remainder of the class, were very, very angry that they had been paying for an education, at a premium, they were not receiving.

It turned out the prior instructor had never used the latest software, the students had text books for a previous version of the software, and indeed the latest software was installed on their computers.

Well, they were in luck! I knew the software! Why? Because I, myself, had more or less just graduated! (from their school!) They didn’t know that. I made it sound like I had done some contract work and had worked for a gaming company recently. While true, it was a huge stretch of the truth. But I didn’t want the entire class to come at me.

Half the class already hated me, the other half didn’t know me, and no one trusted me.

I remember the tunnel vision. The overwhelming sense that this was going very badly. But, I have always been the guy that wont stop until told to – and even then I might keep going. I jumped in, asked them to show me their projects, and worked through that 4 hour class, showing them tips and tricks, and trying to show a genuine interest in them.

What I was interested in was a cigarette. If you’ve ever smoked youve probably had the experience of being under tremendous stress and not being able to smoke for hours.

Luckily several students smoked and I was able to borrow a cigarette or two on breaks.

When class was over I was escorted out by security. I got in my truck with almost no gas and started wondering what my plan was to get home; what was my plan to do if I couldn’t get home?

I knew some gas pumps would authorize if you had any money in your account. It didn’t have to be enough to cover the gas, just a positive number in your bank account. I found a gas station near the school that did authorize.

I pumped a full tank and drove my tired, frazzled ass home.

And returned two days later to continue what turned out to be a 13 year career at a for-profit school.