Explanation (as told years ago):
I loved Classical Greek, and my professor urged me to take second year. But I was in graduate and get out of Dodge mode, I just took language because I needed the credit.A fav "total accident" story, obviously. Decided to wear the pin in my old age in protest of the democritization of art.
I thought that was the end of it. It wasn't. Something over a year later I'm at the University of Oregon, a grad student, when I get a letter in the mail from UCLA. They want me to march with Oregon's undergrad seniors to be admitted into Phi Beta Kappa a year late for my graduating class at UCLA. What what what? This is absurd. But a phone call reveals they are serious, I've been admitted into Phi Beta Kappa at UCLA a year after the normal time, which is graduation. It didn't make sense because I had about a 3.3 average, too low for the honor society, and this low because I took, a 21-unit overload every term, picking out a course I'd just get a C in but take for the reading and discipline and lectures. Broadening my humanities education with all the energy of an ex math/science nerd.
So I march, get my Phi Beta Kappa pin, which I wore on my baseball cap till it was stolen ... but never figured out what was going on till I got my certificate from Phi Beta Kappa ... which was signed by my Greek teacher! She was the President of the Society!
So here's what happened. She thought I was hot shit. She was stunned the computer did not kick me out as a candidate for the Society when I graduated. So she took it upon herself to investigate. She discovered I indeed was on the Honors English Program, had an A average in my major, but for some reason took an overload each term, getting a C in things like Chinese Literature, Indian Lit, Introduction to the Opera, African Song Poems and whatnot. So she petitioned that an exception be made and I be admitted into Phi Beta Kappa and since she was the Prez at this time, she got her way.
