Law School: Gunner Bingo

I was a summer starter at IU Law, which means that I took 2 classes in a compressed format over 5 weeks: Criminal Law and Building Your Law School Alcohol Tolerance (a pre-req to other courses like "Seminar in Binge Drinking" and "Advanced Social Alcoholism"). For the first week or two, you hear "Wow, everyone just seems...well...normal." You hear stories about the "Gunner," the guy that has memorized all of the hornbooks, quotes 2Ls and 3Ls, and kisses constant ass with the professors. No one wants to be "that guy," but no one actually believes that "that guy" is anything more than proverbial.

Like most law schools, we have lively (though not necessarily mature or intelligent *grin*) discussions in class. Everyone comes prepared, more or less. At week 7 of the fall, most folks have been on the spot in one class or another, and figured out by now that the only person who remembers the dumb things you say is you.

But the Class of 2008 has a Gunner. His name is Paul. Paul probably would get away with being a Gunner, except that he chooses to also insult and demean his classmates. Paul has called people stupid, incompetent, told them they don't look like lawyers and don't belong in law school--you name it. My personal favorite is suggesting that you need to have 3 hornbooks for success in class. Paul, when he acts like a normal human, is a nice guy. He's an ex-Marine with a sweet wife and cute kid, and he can be pleasant when he wants to be.

He chooses not to, so we choose to play Gunner Bingo. Paul no longer elicits groans or sighs when he drones on in class. Now, everyone perks up and gets ready to score points. I wish Paul would just apologize for intentionally alientaing everyone and resolve to do better. We could stop playing. Until then, I'll try to catch Raza, who has proven to be the Gunner Bingo master.