Start saluting him every time he clicks.
I actually did try resting my head in my hand in such a way which was to suggest in mockery the act of salutation, as would be marginally suggested as my hand departed to meet my desk in writing. But I have begun to think that it is the 'projection of character' as I've heard it called, that checks marginal abuses like pen clicking, more than any technical measures.
I've made some progress by technical measure.
I have no book, and the professor told me to share the sargeant's book. And what followed was an example of the sargeant's false nature, for he began to gesture at the book with no clear intention, and speak just under conferable regester. His hope here is that I would affect my posture to lean in, so that it would appear to onlookers as if he was offering valuable insight upon the passages within the text. I saw immediately that there was no insight in what he was saying, and intervened as if in a manner of correction, at a higher register. I also took trouble, after I'd finished looking on the book, to take the book from between us and place it more squarely upon his desk, covering his notebook marginally, also cutting him off in mid sentence as he tried once again to act as if he were being very helpful.
...
I brought a spanish newspaper to class. Our college is very lenient, and we may do nearly anything in our respective desks, even pen clicking, and so I read through the newspaper for much of the class. I figure that a newspaper makes a marginal suggestion of maturity and worldliness.
But there is something singular I have noticed about keeping a newspaper on one's desk.....
I have noticed, making no pretense of scientific discipline, that in coffee houses and classrooms, that on some 5 occasions while keeping a newspaper on my table a neighboring student will lift his foot conspicuously near my table, so that the paper is at his foot. This may be intended, with purpose or subconsciouse design, to convey contempt through metaphor, that he be the master as he has the paper at his feet, and that I be the dog as I put it there. Of course, the foot arrives second, since my paper is already there in the some 5 occasiones, but the appearance to 3rd party is what often imports gesture.
... I noticed that the sargeant raised his foot after I'd put my paper on my desk, nearly contacting the paper. So I said, "I think you stepped in something." and he had to inspect his shoe with some loss of his usual mannerism. For if he'd not inspected it, he would have looked deliberately rude (in case it be something real bad on his sole) or had to relinquish his foot's lofty place, and looked sheepish. To excuse myself for the accusation, I said it was the logo on the bottom of his shoe that I'd thought was a piece of gum or wrapper.