Nate Robbins, a first year student who typically arrives at Con Hall with the mass of students jockeying for a decent seat in their ECO101 lecture, was absent from his typical balcony row 3, seat 8 dwelling. Nate cited an extremely urgent lunch-nap combo that simply could not be rescheduled as his main justification for missing his 3pm Wednesday lecture. He also noted that it "obviously doesn’t matter, no one will notice one extra empty seat”.
Unbeknownst to Robbins, rumours of his absence spread like wildfire within the 4,300 square-meter building. Students who typically sat four seats away from Robbins spoke of the “unbelievable gall [he] must have to ditch a lecture”. Other students made sure to avoid sitting where Robbins’ usually took notes and played Clash of Clans. Students on the ground level commented on the noticeable shift in “vibes” that left many feeling uneasy.
As the clock neared ten minutes past the hour, Professor McLeod neared his podium. He noticeably lost his focus and balance when he gazed up at Con Hall's balcony. Row 3, seat 8 was completely empty- Good Lord! The visibly shaken professor attempted to conduct his typical high energy lecture, but his usual pep wasn’t present. He stumbled, slurred his words, and on one occasion mixed up the term “net return” with Nate Robbins’ name. The lecture ended 45 minutes early, with McLeod being carried out on a stretcher.