Roach Motel

PROFESSOR ROBERT Arseneau was our prof and chaperone my junior spring in Washington, D.C., when 18 of us studied government "off campus." The College had arranged for us to stay in the Woodner Hotel, apparently having done a bit of research on the best place for college students. When we checked in we discovered a swarm of incredibly resourceful roaches. We dubbed our new "dorm" the Roachner.

Professor Arseneau, on the other hand, did not dwell among us roach-infested undergraduates on the lower floors. He was ensconced in what we imagined to be great luxury on the top floor of the 15-story building.

One day senior fall, I visited the professor in his office. He told me he was just finishing up his report to the head of the Government Department on our quarter off-campus. He noted that he had included all the details. To my surprise he took out the report and showed me the "exhibits" he had attached near the back. There, for all to see, in a big black and white photograph, was a handsome roach, pinned up like a dissection experiment and labeled Roach woodnerus, native. At that point I lost all my doubt about being a Republican, since it was obvious then that even the privileged must suffer.

Roach woodnerus, native,classified byRobertArseneau.