Can you recite the facts of the case?

Something happened to one of my classmates that I am sure will happen to me at some point in my career. I dread this moment like no other. I will try to avoid it, but inevitable it will catch up with me, most likely this year, even more likely this semester.

Professor: "Miss. Unprepared will you please recite the facts of the Shaheen case for the class?"

Miss U: " Uhhh.....well...."

Proff: " Well? You did read the case did you not? Are you prepared for this class?"

Miss U: " Well, I....skimmed it...but...uhhh no."

Proff: "You do realize the only grade you will have in this class is a final. My only other experience with you will be through your class participation."

Miss U; " I am sorry, I know. I wont let this happen again."

Proff: " I hope not. Let this be a warning to the rest of the class, you do not want to end up in this position. I will call on you at random and you will be prepared."

Miss U: Looks mortifies and mumbles "I am sorry."

Several people raise their hands to recite the statement of fact, myself included. I am strategy, where If I answer enough questions voluntarily I will not be called on at random enough because he will be satisfied with ripping to shreds my volunteered answers.

We are students in the part-time division in the evening. We have jobs, some full time and some part time. Many people are married and several have children (one poor crazy soul is a stay at home mother to 6...no wonder she needs the income a law degree might generate). It is not at all impossible that at some point something will have to give and one day we will try to scrimp by without reading all 150 assinged pages and 6 cases. It is a fact of life that there only 24 hours in a day, at least a few of which are eaten up with sleeping, eating, commuting, or other "life tasks".

The rest of the class goes on and the poor women wont lift her head from her laptop. I would be pretty embarassed, but then again it will be me eventually.