This Will Make a Good Story

When my own children were little and a memorable event happened, I would tell them, "That will make a good story. You can write about this." As a teacher I now repeat the line often to my students, which they get a kick out of and do record some events in their writer's topic list. Well, today they turned the table on me, in the midst of a calamity and a great laugh.

I had bribed, no-encouraged, them to bring back a survey for my Career Ladder paperwork. When it means increasing my salary, I am not above using whatever means necessary. Well, I forgot to pick up the candy (maybe something to do with this week's late night meetings after school). But being the last day before Spring Break, I needed to run to the store for the reward. Since this cut into my lunch period, I tossed items from the salad bar into an oversize plastic container and rushed back just in time to pick up the boys from recess. The day continued with a reasonably great mini lesson on leads. The resource teacher came in and taught more #*!* math state test preparation. Then we started getting the room and ourselves ready for nine days away.

This relaxed atmosphere seemed like a good time to squeeze in bites of that salad. But picture this. One student standing near my desk, writing on the Smart Board. All eyes at that time are on him, as they helped him spell a word. I'm not sure how I did it, but a piece of my arm tapped that plastic container of salad and the contents went flying in many surprising directions. Purple lettuce, garbanzo beans, shredded carrots and what seemed like hundreds of tiny tortilla strips.

Simultaneously, the kids got that shocked, oh-no, what will happen now look, as I let out a large whooping laugh that carried across the room. I mean, really, what else was there to do? Spring Break is 30 minutes away and why spoil the mood?

As you can guess, being the kids that they are, this whole scene provoked rounds of laughter from them. The salad lay scrambled behind my desk where the Smart Board writer stated he'd get the small broom and clean it up. "Never mind, I'll do it later" I reassured him with a chuckle. The room began to calm down when someone from the middle of the room sized up the situation and hollered out, "You should remember this Ms. E., it will make a great story".

I think it will.