Another Flakey Prof

[1Q84]

I never thought I'd be telling a flakey prof story but here I am...

 

Although the grad director said that she would allow a week or so for late references, I'm still really worried.

 

I talked to my prof months ago about writing a letter and he was super kind and supportive and he has written for me twice before in past years.

 

He registered on the website and everything saying that he would write.

 

I wrote a reminder followup email to him a couple weeks ago just gently saying that the due date is Mar 15. I wrote another one earlier this week to remind him again of the due date. No reply to any emails.

 

I called him on Tuesday and he picked up, sounding very harried. I apologised for bothering him but said I wanted to follow up about the letter. He said yes of course, he apologised and said he should have sent it a long time ago. He said he was very busy that very moment and seemed like he wanted to get off the phone so I didn't press it. I said if he wanted to wait until Mar 15, that was fine and he said no I'll send it today.

 

It's Wednesday and he still hasn't submitted. I'm worried that I bothered him too much. It's just strange because although I'm not super close to him, in all the years I've known him, never has he been so scattered or flakey or irresponsible.

 

What should I do?

 

I don't have any chances at a backup referrer but I also don't want to keep bothering him to the point that he'll write me a crappy letter to get me off his back.

Edited March 14, 2013 by 1Q84

[tarrman]

Do not be afraid of bothering him. Send him daily emails until you get a response, and don't be afraid of calling him again. He seems nice enough, and I'm sure he understands your concern. Some people just need to be reminded more than others.

 

You have much more to lose by not reminding him.

[1Q84]

I guess you're right! There's not much to do but to bother him... I have no alternative.

 

I'm just worried that he'll write me a crap letter in return for me hounding him.

[tarrman]

I doubt he'd get upset for pestering him and take it out on you; he did agree to write it for you. If he wrote you a lousy letter, it'd be because he waited until last minute to do it.