My Bittersweet Memory of Miss Trigonometry

When I was studying engineering, one of my favorite subjects in my freshman year was trigonometry—not because the instructor was very attractive, but primarily because I loved solving problems, especially those trigonometric identities. It was around this time when this particular topic was being taught that the most hilarious event happened. It wasn’t anything grand, but that brief moment has been living rent-free in my mind ever since. Whenever I think of the word trigonometry, this memory is the first thing that comes to mind.

In our trigonometry class, we had a very attractive instructor. She was an engineer—cool, laid-back, and somewhat boyish, with a great sense of humor. At the time, she was probably around the same age I am now, maybe in her late 20s or early 30s. Looking back, I’d say she was actually my type.

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One time, the topic was about trigonometric identities. As she was writing on the board with her back to us, something shifted in the atmosphere. It became eerily quiet, and after a while, I realized what had happened. She was wearing plain clothes, but the slack pants she had on were a bit fitted, which really accentuated her figure. That's when I caught a glimpse of my buddy, seated just two rows ahead on the left side of the room. By the time I looked over, his gaze was fixed on her 'down there,' he seemed quite pleased with the view.

A second later, as if on cue, he glanced in my direction, only to realize he had been caught red-handed. He knew exactly what I was thinking, and it was clear to both of us. We both burst into laughter just as our instructor turned to face us. I struggled to compose myself, hoping she hadn't noticed us laughing. I'm basically a dork but I admit that particular sight really caught me off guard.

By the way, in that class, my buddy and I were always competing for the top spot. Sometimes he'd come first, and I'd be second, and vice versa, so she was pretty familiar with the two of us. I think she knew what was happening because she gave that look women give when they know someone's checking them out. But like I told you, she’s cool and laid-back, so she brushed it off and just carried on with the lesson. That ended up being the last class I had with her, as I transferred to a state university the following year due to financial reasons.

About seven years later, I received news from my buddy from that same class about her. She had been in a car crash. My buddy even sent me a video of the incident. In the footage, she was in the passenger seat, still conscious, trying to get out of the truck she was in. It was heartbreaking to see her struggling to breathe. She was rushed to the hospital but, unfortunately, was declared dead on arrival. That was truly unexpected. I stared in disbelief—who would’ve thought, back in those days, that this woman wouldn’t live a long life? But, of course, that’s the reality of life; we never really know what’s going to happen.

Now, every time I hear the song Last Kiss by Pearl Jam, I can’t help but think about her and the footage of her accident. It kinda adds a deeper weight to the song itself.

P.S. Although she was much younger than the woman in the photo, the hairstyle is an exact match.

Prompt: Trigonometry
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