It seems that at the ripe old age of 39.95 plus shipping and handling, I have achieved what was never possible before: popularity at school. I had lunch with Aidan today at school and a seat near me was the hottest ticket in Mrs. Malcolm's class.
After much pushing, wiggling and jockeying for position, I was seated between Aidan and Henry, with Joshua, Andrew and Gabrielle across the table; Jada was on the other side of Aidan, and kept leaning across him to talk to me. The children know me since I work in his class each week and they were eager to talk to me. All at once.
I don't think that I am particularly good with children (and sometimes not even with my own child); I am not indulgent, I don't look away from misbehavior, I correct their grammar and their manners. But I guess when you are the only non-faculty adult at the class table, popularity is a given.
Eating lunch with a cafeteria full of first graders is a unique experience. The sound level must be on par with that on an aircraft carrier when a fighter jet lands...the ears ring and the brain becomes numb. And when five or six of those little voices are raised, trying vainly to get your undivided attention, I swear the table vibrates.
For all my grousing and joking, it was fun to have lunch with Aidan and his friends. And they were all so sweet to make me feel welcome, even though almost every one of them showed me the food in their mouth at some point during the meal!
