Steve, the FBI is here to see you

I can't express the thousand things that flashed in my mind the first time I heard that. It happened often enough that I came to think, "You know it's just a reference check... You know it's just a reference check..." Fortunately, that's what they all were. Students applied for jobs with some form of military clearance and I was listed as part of their background check.

A couple of weeks ago a former student contacted me about being a reference. I said, "Sure, if they'll take me..." Alas, they did not. His references have to be living in the US.