Tuesday, March 15, 2011

This Is Why...

Honestly, I put it out of my mind. I was busy after school, reorganizing my room, straightening my desk and preparing for the fourth quarter. Sunny and fairly warm outside, I hurried to finish everything up so I could go home and take Chloe for a walk.

Chloe greeted me when I walked through the door in her typical fashion--impatient whines, running a small crazy circle, waiting for me to pet her and take down the gate so she could race me to the front door. I stood outside with her a minute while she looped through my legs like a cat, not being able to get enough of my touch.  Finally, I went back into the house to change out of my school clothes and put on some walking clothes.

I putzed around. Fed the cat, filled Chloe's water dish, checked the mail. Eventually, I went into change clothes.

The phone rang and I remembered. It's All-State announcement day! It could only be one person on the other line.

My senior, Grace, who's been with me since she was a freshman, "Mrs. Day!  Congratulations--you have TWO students going to All-State this year!"

"You and Sami?" I ask.

"No. Jordan!!!!!!!!  Can you believe it?"  I couldn't, but that's another story.

For Grace, this was a culminating act. She performed at All-State as a freshman, but did not make it back until this year. She is ecstatic! I really don't have to make any calls because she had made them already. I can see her in my mind's eye dancing around her room, with her phone in her hand, a smile as wide as the ocean.

This is why I coach speech for four months of the year. This is why I read speeches and poetry and prose until my eyes bleed. This is why...

5 comments:

  1. You kept me in suspense on WHY, nice touch. Congratulations on your students going to state, I know that is quite an accomplishment. Loved the second paragraph. So typical of dogs, great description! Aren't speech kids fun?!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Poignant and inspiring. The excitement was tangible. I like how you began with "Honestly, I put it out of my mind." but didn't tell us what exactly it was you put out of your mind. Drew me in a little further, searching for this mystery.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I liked the suspense, too, & thought you had lost your dog! You really did lead us on. Congratulations on your writing, but also on your hard work with the students.!

    ReplyDelete
  4. "not being able to get enough of my touch"...perfect description.
    And congratulations!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yay how exciting for you and for the students! I agree with the above, the suspense lasted until the end. Good writing.

    ReplyDelete

3/17 I'm So Lucky

  I'm so lucky to have a birthday on St. Patrick's Day☘️ Everyone likes to celebrate my birthday (even if they don't like green ...