The Traveller

The Round Table (1)

            “Can anybody explain to me why King Arthur wanted his knights to sit at a round table?” My history professor asked, looking around the classroom. I did the same and noticed that fifty percent of my classmates were sleeping, while the other fifty percent seemed to be Googling it.

             I groaned, raising my hand; Professor Keeting’s eyes lighting up. “Yes Ava? You can all stop searching for the answer now.” He added and I couldn’t help but feel pride that he remembered my name. I mean, there were two thousand other people in this lecture hall and he took the time to remember my name.

            “Arthur was an extremely humble King sir. Arguably the most humble in history, however, I’m not one to speak on that, as I never met the guy personally. He wanted a round table so that every man sitting at it was equal. He wanted to show his knights that just because he was a King, they should regard him as they would each other.” 

            “And why does a round table establish that equality Ava?” He smiled, leaning his elbow over the table; entirely interested in what I had to say.

             “Because there was no head of the table. In a regular rectangle table there are two heads; one on either end. The most powerful person, who is Arthur in this case, would usually reside at one end of the table in order to show that he was superior to all of his guests. In order to destroy this superiority, Arthur created a round table. No one can be at the head of a round table.” I concluded, everyone around me eagerly taking notes; well, except for the sleeping thousand.

             Just as Professor Keeting was about to continue talking, the bell sounded to signal the end of the lecture. I smiled, the sound like music to my ears as I closed my laptop and packed all of my books into my bag. As I reached the door I was stopped. “Ava, thank you for actually listening in my lectures.” Mr. Keeting smiled and I nodded. 

            “It’s very interesting stuff sir, I don’t know how anyone sleeps.” I told him truthfully. Things like King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table, Merlin, everything about the time period intrigued me. Even if they were simply stories and there wasn’t much historical evidence if any to support that Arthur was a real man; it was still incredible.

             “You’re coming on the trip to England next week right?” He asked, hope gleaming in his eyes.

             I smiled and nodded; just as excited, as he seemed to be about the trip over the march break. “Yes sir, I look forward to it very much.”

             “Good. I should let you go now. Thanks again Ava.” He finished, returning to his desk as I exited the lecture hall; the cool breeze hitting me immediately.

            “This is what you get for moving to Canada I guess.” I mumbled under my breath, pulling my jacket tighter over my body as I walked away from the building.

             “Hey geek.” My best friend Elly cheered, joining me on my walk back to our dorm room. “How was the lecture with the babe?”

             I rolled my eyes at her implication that Professor Keeting is a ‘babe’ and told her that it was good. Elly is a major science geek, and my first friend that I made when I made the move from New York to Waterloo, Ontario. Well, I guess your roommate would be your first friend anyways.

             “I still can’t believe we’re going to England over the March break. Do you think we’ll meet some hot British guys?” Again I felt myself roll my eyes, but I sort of hoped that we did.

             I had been single for far too long. I was in my final year of University and I still haven’t had a boyfriend since the tenth grade. “I guess a March break fling with a hot British guy wouldn’t hurt.” I smirked, Elly’s eyes widening with excitement. “I still don’t understand how you weaseled your way onto this trip anyways. Isn’t it only for history majors?” I laughed and she just shrugged.