I cannot tell you how many times I've been in line at a fast food place and wanted to scream because the person in front of me needs to place multiple orders. It's not fair! She should have to wear a sign that alerts those behind her that no, they're not one person back in line...they're actually SEVENTH. Makes me crazy!
Well today, karma bit me in the keister.
I was that girl.
TeacherFriendHellion had come to my room during 6th to see if I was still willing to go to Subway to pick up lunch for her...and The Baldman (our department chair) during my conference period. I said yes. I wasn't so jazzed about adding an extra order, but I figured I could stand to brownnose a little, since TBM is working on the master schedule for next year. (PLEASE GOD, no 9th grade English next year!)
While she wrote down their orders. ZanySeniorGirl (her student/teacher-for-a-day) asked if she could pay me later. I said, "Aw, don't worry about it, Hellion'll cover ya. It's the least she can do for you taking her classes today!" So she wrote her order down, too.
(In case you're math-impaired like me, we're now up to 3 orders, plus mine.)
At this point, I figure, what the hell? what's one more? And ask Hellion to go to Buggy's Chemistry class and see what he wants.
She comes back laughing her head off. (And I needed some levity, because I wanted to slap the snot outta some of my 6th period kids.)
It seems that Buggy was entirely surprised to get called out of class by Hellion. When she said "Ms. H wants to know if you want anything from Subway"..he just stared at her, and said "it doesn't matter." She said, "Is that yes or no?" He said, "Yes."
Hellion: What do you want?
Buggy: It doesn't matter.
Hellion: Okay, turkey with jalapenos.
Buggy: Oh no!
Hellion: Okay, what?
Buggy: ChickenOnionTeriyaki
Hellion: What do you want on it?
Buggy: Anything.
Hellion: Okay, onions and black olives.
Buggy: Nono!
Hellion: Okay, lettuce?
Buggy: Yes.
Hellion: Tomato?
Buggy: Yes.
Hellion: Mayo.
Buggy: No.
Hellion: Chips?
Buggy: Yeah.
Hellion: What kind?
Buggy: It doesn't matter.
Hellion: Okay, Doritos?
Buggy: No. I hate Doritos.
Hellion. Cheetos.
Buggy: No.
Hellion: SunChips.
Buggy: Yes.
Hellion: What lunch do you have?
Buggy: 3rd
Hellion: Ms H will be in her room.
Buggy: Thanks, Miss.
Who knew asking a teenage boy about food would so closely resemble the interrogation scene from Uncle Buck?!
That was totally worth the daggers people stared into my back. And, was undoubtedly the best 6 bucks I've ever spent.
His lunch is during the last half of my conference period, so I got to hang out and chat with him for a while. I asked him if he was nervous last night when Coach V and I were talking. He said yes...he was thinking about sliding out the door...but figured Coach would just bellow his name. (Apparently I'm not the only one that utilizes volume to get his attention.) He said he figured he was going to be running til his legs fell off. I told him I wouldn't rat him out to his coach...he was usually good about figuring out when to stop being an idiot, and he listens to me...without my resorting to calling in the big guns.
We got to talk about how things were at home (jacked up), as well as the ticket he got for fighting a couple months ago (unpaid). He's not even sure when his court date is...maybe March, maybe May. Apparently, he's been avoiding it because he knows he can't afford to pay it.
I asked him to bring the letter Monday, so we could figure out what to do. He hemmed and hawed...I said, "if you don't take care of this before you turn 17, do you get that they will issue a warrant and come get you AT SCHOOL and take you to jail?"
He said, "Yes."
I said, "And that is exactly what I'm afraid of."
He said, "Me too. Miss, I'm afraid that if I go in, I'll never come out."
I looked him dead in the eye, "Buggy, that would absolutely and completely break my heart."
Blink.
Blink.
He looked at me for a minute, before he said "I'll bring the letter Monday."
I walked him out, took a deep breath, and told him that I really wanted to see him get to go to gymnastics camp. He said he'd looked at the stuff, but it was too expensive-- like 3 or 400 bucks. I told him to chill out about the money..that was taken care of. I just needed to hear from the people at OU to find out when the camp was, and then we'd get after registration and getting everything cleared thru the school. That's what Coach and I had been talking about via email...NOT his evil-ways! (I got a big grin for that one!)
He said, "Miss, how am I going to get there? It's so far away...I don't have a car, and it's OKLAHOMA." I told him I would drive him up there if I needed to...which was why I needed him to not say anything to anyone until I get my ducks in a row. I need to make sure I get everything cleared so there are no problems when I present it to the principal. I had wanted to wait until it was a go before I told him...but decided he needed to know how much I want to see him succeed.
He got real quiet...looked me straight in the eye...and said, "Miss, you'll have the letter Monday."
That's my boy.