Give someone else a second chance.

"Tia," I looked to my student watching me as she sat in the middle of the floor "would you like to have another go using Bridget's equation?" I held up the marker towards her.

Tia looked uncomfortable, "Uh...I'm good Professor Finn. Maybe someone else should have a turn."

I felt a slight pang in my chest. I didn't want her to feel discouraged from trying anymore because of my mistake. I stepped right up to Tia and knelt before her on the floor so we were at eye level. "I know you can do this. I _want _you to do this. You are an incredibly bright young girl and you didn't even make a mistake; that's all on me. So don't even worry about saving face, because we just established that it is your teacher who needs to get a clue." I handed Tia the marker once again "Show me how brilliant you are." There was a funny look on Tia's face. She wasn't even looking me in the eye or the marker, her gaze seemed transfixed between my legs. Looking down, I realized that getting on one knee parted my towel at such an angle it gave Tia a front row seat to watch my dangling genitals. Blushing, I lowered my leg and readjusted my towel for modesty's sake. "And of course..." I sighed. I knew I was going to regret what I was about to say next but Tia needed one last push, incentive. "...if you get it right this time...towel comes off..." I practically mumbled the last part of that sentence but Tia heard me loud and clear. She swiped the marker out of my hand and bounced to the whiteboard facing it in all seriousness. I stood back up to watch her work. I definitely was not looking forward to getting naked again in front of this crowd but moreover I wanted my students to keep up their academic momentum. So I uneasily wished Tia some good luck.

Tia stared at the whiteboard for a moment before she started writing out her work. She wrote out a conclusion but took a moment to double-check her answer and stepped aside for me to evaluate. I crossed my arms over my chest and smiled as I clapped my hands in joy.

"Excellent work Tia, you are correct." Everyone around me gave Tia a round of applause while she did a short victory dance. The clapping abruptly stopped as everyone turned to face me; the proud professor standing in the middle of the room in nothing but a towel. Soon to be in nothing at all. My heart sank as I blushed. "Ah yes, your reward. A deal is a deal." I closed my eyes as I loosened the towel around my waist one last time. As the last shred of my modesty fell to the floor, more thunderous applause rang around me. Clasping my privates in my hands, I couldn't help but wonder why Tia's accomplishment got a room full of applause while my nudity got a standing ovation.