So I thought I'd share a story from the years I taught "in the 'hood". Partly because it's kind of funny, but mostly because I can't bring myself to write a whole post about how ALL 12 of Lovebug's trains disappeared yesterday (Hubby, Ironflower and I looked everywhere) and this morning he magically found them without his sister or I noticing. My almost two-year-old already has a secret hiding space - you have to admit it's weird. But I have to stop talking about it now, because I'm pretty sure I even bored my parents with it last night. We searched EVERYWHERE for those trains. . . . . . .
I was teaching second grade. My class that year was the toughest I'd ever had. I had many kids with "D'issues". I had many parents who were very challenging. T., however, always seemed friendly, if a little distracted. I didn't talk to her that often, as her little boy was above grade level and very well-behaved and his grandmother usually picked him from school. But after the first month of school, T. began dropping by the school a fair amount. Sometimes it was at lunch, when she brought her kids McDonald's or Sonic. Sometimes it was in the afternoon, when she'd bring cookies or cupcakes. For the whole class. For no reason.
In a school where parents didn't even usually pack lunches for the kids and only about a third of them had treats at school for their birthdays, it was weird. The whole random treats for the whole class thing was a little odd even by suburban standards, I thought. One day, after my students went to music class, I brought the extra cookies up to the front office to share with the principal and secretary. As we chatted and added to our waistlines, I casually said, "I wonder why T. does that so often."
My principal, a woman so conservative that we had to beg her to let us wear skirts without stockings, looked at me in shock. "Haven't you smelled her?" she asked. I shook my head mutely. "She gets the munchies and likes to share with her kids," my boss explained. I stared at her uncomprehendingly.
"She's HIGH!" exclaimed our young, hip secretary.
My principal nodded. "You mean you couldn't tell? I didn't think you were the innocent type, Jerseygirl."
My hipness had just been insulted by someone my mother's age, AND I had to accept that one of my sweetest, smartest, cleanest, best-dressed students was being raised by a mom who smoked pot ALL DAY. Talk about changing one's perceptions.
I had T.'s youngest child a few years later. Baby sister was a more talkative replica of her brother. But mom didn't bring any extra treats or lunches that year. She wasn't half as friendly.
And she didn't smell like pot any more, either.
13 comments:
When I was younger my toys would disappear inexplicably. Years later we found a huge stash of them that my baby brother had hidden in the hood of his wooden truck bed.
Wowzers! I'd never considered sharing ;)
I would have ate all the cupcakes myself. And the Sonic. And the McDs. Preferably at the same time. :-) The good ol' days. Well, not so good...
That is hilarious! I mean... sad. Yes, sad. ;)
I hate that once again I refer to Friends (cause I truly did NOT watch it that often), but this so reminds me of Fun Bobby. Do you remember that?
And, I taught in the ga-hetto, too. But, I'm not sure I would know what pot would smell like. I know. I'm sheltered. My problem was parents who dressed like (and probably were) whores.
Lottifish - I actually checked the bed - I even moved the mattress! Right now I'm thinking they were in the Little People House, but I'm not sure.
Merry - I think it's kinda funny too. I know she got very serious about their grades after she quit.
Aunt Becky - You'd have to call her devoted, for all her other faults.
Anne - It probably explains why she wasn't as big as a house.
Kathryn - I'm pretty sure it's both.
AFF - I think I might have noticed it at a party, but I wasn't expecting it at school. I know for a fact that I had at least one parent who was a whore. Loved those conferences. The teaching ghetto thing must be why we get along so well.
one of my girlfriends here in Hometown had a very similar experience when she was in teacher training - except that she was the first one to clue in, being familiar with pot herself.
She sounded kind of sweet really. But pot smokers usually are quite pleasant I find. Hmmm...maybe I should take it up. My kids would probably like me better.
Oh my goodness! I don't know whether to laugh or cry. What a story!
Emma - Sometimes I wonder if it would help me. But back in the old days all it did was make me sleepy - and there's already enough sleepy mommy around here!
Rachel - Well, it seems to, anyway.
Interesting. Remind me to send you the link to the blog post I found months back. It's written by a mom who claims that she is a better parent after she gets high.
Interesting. Remind me to send you the link to the blog post I found months back. It's written by a mom who claims that she is a better parent after she gets high.
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