So, What Are Your Plans After That?

It's like the adult version of the little kids' infamous "Why?" No matter how many times you answer it, it can always be asked again.

Person: So, how much more of school do you have to go?

Me: Actually, I'm graduating with my Master's this coming August. I can't wait!

Person: So, what are your plans after that?

Me: Well, in the Fall I'm going to be subbing as an instructor while a couple of colleagues are on maternity leave.

Person: So, what are your plans after that?

Me: Well, in January, I'm going to France for 6 months. I'm excited. I'll be living with a family, attending a language institute . . .

Person: So, what are your plans after that?

Me: I dunno. Maybe something will come to me while I'm eating crepes walking down cobblestone streets.

Person: I mean, like what do you want to do? What is your overall goal?

Me: Uh, well, there's lots I could do. I could go back into teaching at the secondary level, I could teach at the university level, there's plenty I could do with Spanish if I didn't want to teach, adding on French would give me even more possibilities, I could start a doctoral program somewhere. I have a lot of options.

Person: You just want to be a professional student, don't you? (smirking)

Me: (in my mind) You smug little ignorant busybody. You wouldn't know what a professional student was if it backhanded your mother across the face. You haven't 1/8th of an idea of what I've had to go through to get to this point. If someone drilled a hole through your skull in an attempt to shove this morsel of information through the aperture you still wouldn't get it, but I believe miracles still happen today, so I'll just say that I don't know what my plans are because I don't have to know right now. The fact of the matter is I can do whatever I want, while you will be left to a life of deciding whether to go to Denny's or CiCi's Sunday after Sunday.

(spoken) Um, not exactly.