Soooo yeah. My life? Quite boring. Played ffxi. new blog over there. Did science lab project thingy. I got to make liiiiitle molecular models out of toothpicks and spice drops. It was actually kinda fun.
Aaaaaand I had to drive tonight for driver's ed. Im pretty sure Im going to become a hobo so I dont have to get a driver's lisense. Yes. That is my plan. ('cept not really) But! I didn't hit anyone or anything. But I had to drive a Ford Taurus. Which is grosstastic. haha I like driving my dad's huge Dodge truck. Much easier to drive. Aaaaand it's fun to be bigger than everyone else so people move out of my way hehe.
And I finished my short story! Ok, so I finished the rough draft. Close enough right? Well, here's a little bit of it. If I get some response Ill post more of it up here. Alright?
Ugh, I havent posted in like a week and I still have nothing to say. But I have an excuse! Im talking to Kristine on the phone so she's distracting me. Yes, that's it. So blame her. She's one of my stalkers (followers) so check her out. I believe her picture is black and white. But I forget her url and Im too lazy to go get it.
That's about it.
Story:
The sound of glass breaking. It's never a good sound. But for a kindergarten teacher, occasionally, it's expected. Faye turned to face her class of 30 five-year-olds. All eyes almost comically wide with innocence. Veronica, the student teacher, looked to Faye for know what to do. It was, after all, her first week of interning and she was still learning how to deal with 30 devils with angel faces.
“Mr. Taylor, would you care to explain to me how the flower pot is all over the floor?” Faye asked calmly. A lanky red headed boy looked up at his teacher.
“I dunno what happened Mrs. Kirpatz. Wasn't me.” He replied innocently.
“Yes, well then perhaps staying in during recess to clean the mess up will help jog your memories.” Faye got up to help the rest of the class into their raincoats while Veronica got the red-headed boy a broom and dustpan. When all the children where either outside jumping in rain puddles or cleaning up broken flower pots, Faye sat down at her desk with a sigh.
“How... how did you know?” Veronica asked. “It could've been any of them.”
“Hun, when you've been a kindergarten teacher for 20 years you just know.” Faye replied with a smile.
“Some days” Veronica said with a sigh, “I feel like I'll never understand them.” She glanced and Faye. “When did you know you were going to teach? How did you know?”
Faye smiled. She'd seen many interns come and go. Some made it, some didn't. But she has a good feeling about this one. “It just takes experience... and a whole lot of patience let me tell you.” Faye added with a laugh.
“Well, it couldn't have been hard for you, you're an amazing teacher!” Veronica smiled shyly.
Faye grinned, “It's not all a walk in the park; but it's worth it.” She looked around Veronica to an expectant little boy. “All done then? You can go. Don't let it happen again, mind you.” As the boy raced out, completely forgetting his raincoat in his haste, Veronica asked, “If you don't mind, I'd love to hear your story.” She sat on a miniature desk, her toes barely grazing the carpet.
“If you don't mind, I'd love to tell it.” Faye responded with a teasing smile. Veronica blushed. “Let's see,” Faye began, starring off into space. “It began in my 2nd year of college....”
**
“Reine!” I know you're in there. Open up!” I continue to pound on the door relentlessly till I heard the lock click and the door open to reveal a tall, lanky boy with electric blue, spikey hair.
“Yes, m'dear? What has called you to my room at this indecently early hour?” He opened the door invitingly and I stepped inside Reine's usually cluttered room. But at the moment it was spotless. Old pizza boxes that usually littered the floor were gone, his mattress for a bed was made, and all his half naked male model clippings were taken off the wall.
“Parents visiting?” I asked as Reine dropped himself onto his bed with a soft “oof!”.
“Yep. Have to look good, have to look clean. Haven't told them the current state of my hair though.” He added with a wink. He picks up a discarded Vogue magazine and skims through it as I head to his closet and begin riffling through it.
“So when are you going to tell them you're gay?” I asked casually, still going through his things.
“And break their lil' old hearts? I think not.” He sat up in bed and looked at me quizzically. “What on earth are you doing?”
“Looking for my black heels. I know you have them. Why you have them, I can only guess. Where did you put them? Aha!” I hold up a black heel, followed by another, triumphantly. “Gotcha.”
“What's the occasion?” Reine asked, flipping through yet another issue of Vogue.
“Interview for internship,” I bit my lip, “for kindergarten teacher.” I added in a rush. Reine just stares at me. We're thinking the same thing. Me? Teacher? I explain to him how my counselor told me it's a good career idea. And since I don't know what I'm going to do anyway, it sounds as good as anything else.
“Well good luck. Knock 'um dead my chocolate giantess.” Reine said with a grin. He's called me a chocolate giantess ever since Jr. High. See, when you're 6'0” and your skin always has a dark brown shade to it, people often get the wrong impression. Some think I'm scary and won't talk to me. So to get through those tough years of school, Reine came up with the silly name and it seemed to help.
“Wait!” He calls to me. I peek my head back in the room, eyebrow raised. “When is your interview over? I want you to meet someone.” He smiled his lopsided smile he knows I cant resist.
“Noon. I'll meet you by the fountain at one, alright?” I turn to leave before I remember to ask: “Who is he?”
Reine smiled, almost nervously. “You'll find out.” He knows I hate surprises and I would've interrogated him more if I didn't have to get back to my dorm, get dressed, and take out my nose and eyebrow jewelry. As Reine so fondly put it: Have to look good, have to look clean.
I walked into the local elementary nervous. Not quite sure what I was suppose to do, I asked the secretary in the main office. She was so used to talking to children all under the size of 5'0” that she began her “Hel--” staring at my stomach. Her eyes traveled all the way up to my face and smiled wearily. It was one of those days. She informed me that the principal was busy and I should take a seat for the moment. I thanked her and turned around to find that the only seat available was between a chubby little girl with a nasty cut on her knee, and a boy who just couldn't sit still. Joy.
I sat down and the fidgety boy looked up at me, blue eyes round, and exclaimed, “You're so big, you must be a 6th grader!”
“You're so tiny, you must be a 1st grader!” I replied, trying to keep a serious face. The little boy puffed out his chest proudly and informed me he was in kindergarten. (But he got that a lot.) He chatted for some time at me. I say “at” because I couldn't really respond to him. He talked too fast and I didn't understand a word that came out of his mouth. Finally, the principal peeked her head out her office door and waved me in. The office was everything an elementary principals office should be. A wooden apple sat precariously on the edge of her desk and drawings given to her by either her own children or students cluttered the walls. A few items showed quite a large amount of college pride and I pointed at a flag that said “PORTLAND UNIVERSITY” on it with bright yellow letters and said “I go there”. The principal positively just glowed with happiness and bombarded me with questions of who still taught there and if the old tech building was still standing.
“Disaster waiting to happen, that building. But, down to business.” She said with a tiny smile, as if it was a joke I somehow missed. “Tell me about yourself. Do you want to teach? Any schooling? No criminal record I should hope. We check that out, you know. So,” She waved her arm in my direction, “go ahead.”
I cleared my throat nervously. “Erm. I'm Faye.. Faye Moon. I'm a student at Portland University. As of yet, I don't know what I'm majoring in. Teaching, for all I know.” I added with a smile. The principal just nodded and wrote things down on a piece of paper. “I have never taught before. Unless, teaching your siblings counts for anything. I graduated high school quite well off.” I hand her my transcript and resume, unsure if I should keep talking while she looked it over. I decided to continue on. “Erm, no criminal record. Nothing of that sort.” I talked on and on about things I had done and the woman just nodded a lot and occasionally asked a question. Apparently I passed inspection because I would start by being a student teacher in Mrs. Burrow's kindergarten class Monday morning.
**
“Wait, you didn't even know you wanted to teach till right before?” Veronica asked in amazement.
“Yep, had no idea; and look at me now!” Faye added with a laugh. Recess has ended and the soggy children (one little red head was particularly wet) filed in one by one. Both women helped the little boys and girls out of their jackets and sat them down for a nap. None of the children really gave much of an argument. All the running around they did must have exhausted them. When the last stubborn child was down Veronica turned expectantly to Faye.
**
After the interview I sauntered back to campus, having plenty of time before one o'clock. I had a lot on my mind. College work was slowly piling up, the new internship, and my work at Powells.
The one great beauty of living in Portland: Powells. I love books and I love working there. It's not that I needed the money. My parents sent me a reasonable amount for allowance each month. I just enjoyed working there. But with everything else going on, I didn't know how I'd fit the hours in.
I arrived at the fountain outside the library and sat along the edge, letting my fingers dip in the cool water. I sat there for a bit, spacing out and letting my mind wander, waiting for Reine to show up. I didn't really have to wait long. He waved to get my attention and started my way, dragging along a very unhappy looking guy. When they got close I recognized Reine's new boy-toy: Evan McClenn. He's one of those guys where if you see in the hallway or on street, you turn right around and walk the other direction. I'm pretty sure I have never seen this guy happy. Not one smile. I'm pretty sure this guy could look bored in the middle of Disneyland. What Reine saw in him, I can't say.
“Hey Reine. Hey.. Evan.” I nod to both boys. The lean, bored looking blonde cocked his head and looked at me intently.
“Faye.. Faye Moon, right? Last year Woman's Studies?” I nod again, examining my Crayola purple fingernails. “I knew it” Evan whispers to Reine, who already knew we were acquainted. I had often talked on and on about Evan when he irritated me in class. Oh yes, Reine knew I didn't like Evan. He knew very well. Lucky for Reine, Evan was completely oblivious to the frost that was I was probably emitting at that moment, and he cleared his throat nervously.
“So... want to get some coffee. With, y'know, us?” Reine lifted his hand, which was entwined with Evan's, as an explanation of sorts. Evan just stood there squinting in the sunlight.
“I'd, erm, love to,” I lied, “but I've got this horrendous term paper to write and with this new gig, who knows when I'll get time.” Evan nodding, understanding. Reine, on the other hand, saw right through my lie. He leaned forward and bent so we were face-to-face.
“Nice try” He whispered, “but I will hang out with you eventually. Just give him a shot. For me, please?” Reine smiled his lopsided smile. Then, with unexpected energy, he bound up and waved goodbye over his shoulder, dragging Evan behind him.
With the rest of my afternoon open, I swung into the library and checked-out a few books on teaching little kids. A few of them were how-to books for starting parents. I figured hey, same thing right? My hope was that I would impress by knowing a few things first day. But I found the first few months were just sitting there. Observing, they called it. Sure, occasionally I would interact with the kids. Teach a lesson or two. But that was much less exciting than I thought it was going to be. The real excitement? The first day I was fully in charge of an entire class. For an entire day.
This is not my ear.
