Date: June 5 2004
Subject: YOUR TEACHING SAVED MY DAY

hey dr. schwartz,

its pete smith. this morning, i had a crisis from which only your teaching
could save me. i live in an apartment complex at the edge of campus, and my
roommate andrew is gone for the summer. he left his door locked, and left
his alarm on auto. so, this morning, i wake up to hear the sounds of a
horrible alarm going off from behind the locked door. now, i dont know why
his alarm never went off before this, but for whatever reason, this
morning was the time it started. i immediately remembered your story about
your door-opener and was filled with certainty that the door could be
opened from the outside. LUCKILY, the door had an actual handle, and not
just a ball-handle, so i didnt have to rely on your design in all its
complexity. but, i practiced jamming a rigid metal piece (clothes
hanger) under another door in the apartment, and i got it to work on the
practice door. i took it over to andrews door and caught the hook on the
handle and, after 20 minutes of near misses, the door flew open. i shut
the alarm off, and unlocked the door, in case it should happen again. i
have only you to thank for your design and simply for you having done this
before.

sincerely,
pete smith