Not On a First-Name Basis

I invited the English instructor to writers' group with the mindset that he wouldn't attend, either because he didn't have the free time or that he did have the free time, but would rather use it scrubbing the toilets, especially the bowl, which is everyone's favorite part.

Then Monday morning (of writers' group), the English instructor sends me an email, just as I'm heading out the door to attend, that he will come but only able to spend more or less an hour there. Was that okay? 

I don't reply because I assume he's not coming or that he won't get the email in time to make any kind of difference. Like all his students, I have his cell phone number, but I've made a rule that I won't call him or leave him a TXT-message until we are at least on a first-name basis (isn't that polite? After all, what could be so important that I need to call him for?).

I show up to group early because I don't want the English instructor to arrive before I do, become discouraged because he doesn't know anyone, and then leave (even though, he's not coming at all, right?).

The English instructor pulls open the door a few minutes later.

"Everyone, this is Mr. [the English instructor]," I say to our little group.

"Call me [first name]," he says, obviously talking to everyone in the room, except me, of course. In one of the last classes in Engl 201A, a student referred to him by his first name. At first, I didn't know who she was talking about, and then seconds later, I realize that I'm instantaneously jealous. What kind of relationship do they have that she calls him by his nickname? What the hell! 

Later, after the English instructor is gone, one of our group members commented that she was glad he had showed up, and how great it was that I called him by his last name, that "he deserves it."