AuburnChick's Adventures

Sometimes I think someone must have painted a big X on my back…as if to say, “Let’s get life to hand her a funny.  She can handle it!”

Today should have been an ordinary day.

I got up, showered and made myself up, just in case the school called me for a job (which it did), and headed out to work…my day’s plans shot down with the ring of the phone.

Not a problem…I can adapt.  And I did.

I had third period Planning, which ran directly into lunch.  Nice!  I had two hours and five minutes to do what I wanted.  I left school and went hunting for Bernat Softee Chunky.  I need a few yards to finish my top-secret project.

Let me tell you…I booked it.  Oh, I drove safely, but once I parked the car, I broke out in a mad dash to get through the stores as fast as I could.  I nearly took out a few people in the process.  I failed in my quest to locate the yarn…wouldn’t you know it.  It was the one time, after all, that I had armed myself with coupons for every store.  Do you think I would have found the yarn if I hadn’t had them?  I think so.

Whatever.

I did treat myself to Spinach and Artichoke Dip from my favorite restaurant, which is (coincidentally) located right beside the last store I visited.

AuburnChick whistles innocently…although the fact that she has said restaurant on her speed dial, nullifies the air of innocence.

Anyhoo…I got back with plenty of time to call my friend, Rabbit, who offered to go shopping at her Michael’s and pick up the yarn for me.   What a great friend!

Last period proceeded smoothly enough.  The kids finished their work early, so I let them play cards. The principal’s voice came on the PA system to announce various election results.  Chicky won her race for Senior class secretary.  Woo Hoo!

Then, with one minute until the final bell rang, the kids lined up at the doors (two because it’s a portable).  With 30 seconds left, the fire alarm went off.

What in the world?  Who would be dumb enough to schedule a fire alarm so close to the bell?

As I looked around, the kids had disappeared.  No sense staying.  The day was over.

Except for one student.

He returned and frantically told me he had bumped up against the fire alarm and set it off.  He tried to turn it off.

“Hon, you can’t turn it off once it’s been turned on.”

Great.

It was MY class that set off the alarm that could be heard all over school.

I quickly asked the student his name before he ran out the door, and I called the office to let them know it had been an accident.  Then, I got in my car and started driving home.  Chicky called and asked me to go back and pick up Rooster.  She had a meeting after school.

As I got ready to do so, I saw two firetrucks…lights flashing and sirens blaring…barreling down the street toward the school.

Oh no.

Surely they weren’t going to the school.  I kept watch in my rearview mirror as I looked for a place to do a U-turn.  It was hard to tell where they were going…traffic was starting to back up.

As I pulled into the school parking lot (I live right next to the school), I saw the firetrucks parked in the car loop, and firemen getting out of the trucks, clad in their firefighting gear.

Oh boy.  This was getting worse by the minute.

Rooster saw me and got in the car.  I quickly told him what happened.

“Mama,” he said patiently, “That kid had to have pulled the alarm.  You can’t make it go off by bumping it.”

Oh no.

I decided I had better talk to an administrator in the office.  On my way, I approached the fireman who appeared to be in charge.  I explained what happened, and he took down my name.

Great.

Then, I went to the office, where we pulled up my class roll.  I couldn’t exactly remember the student’s name, but I quickly recognized it once I saw it on the computer.  One of the AP’s was there, filling out a report, asking who had been in the classroom.

I sheepishly pointed to myself.

Great.

He told me that it’s a 3rd degree felony, and that the kid will probably get 10 days of suspension.

Lovely.

He assured me that I wasn’t in trouble.  I had been watching the class.  The door had been in my line of sight.  The kid probably pulled it when I turned around for a moment.

What a way to end the day.  I kind of wish it had been someone else, but I’m not surprised it was me.

One more story for the blog.

Think I’ll go eat chocolate.

Filed under: children | Tagged: substitute teaching, teenagers |