I don't know but I've been told, if you keep on dancing, you never grow old

There's a little girl at Laurel Elementary School who wears a floor length black fur coat every day. Every day. It's Spring in Southern California right now, and it's warm. But she still wears it over her clothes, day after day. She has disheveled brown hair that falls into her eyes and glasses, and a quietly happy attitude as she walks around in her heavy outerwear.

I brought her up to my supervisor, Alice, mentioning how cute I thought it was that she wore the behemoth manteau every day. Alice told me that it reminded her of herself when she was little. Every Christmas she would get a pretty new coat and it made her feel like royalty. She would wear it over and over again. And I think that's why it had struck me in the first place.

It's a magical coat, a princess coat. I remember how easy it was for objects to transport me to other worlds as a child. I also distinctively remember how this "reality" felt like one of several other very real options. Book world, dream world, and thought world all competed for attention, but in the end this world turned out the most persistent. It seems like a stream of truth ran through all of them, and they were all a matter of sparks going off in my head, so I suppose the blur isn't too surprising.

**

3 strangers made my day today by acknowledging my existence.

The first was a late 20's mid 30's construction worker who smiled and said hi to me even though I was wearing my ipod and walking quickly (late...)

The second was a 3rd or 4th grader who ran up and threw her arms around me as I was sitting, correcting a test."Bye," she said, and turned and ran out of the homework room. I barely had a chance to respond with a positive "Bye!" as she disappeared. I don't even know her name or if I've actually interacted with her before.

The third one was another girl, maybe 12 years old, with a group of friends outside the junior high by my apartment. She waved at me with a huge grin on her face and shouted hello. Again, I had my headphones on.

All that to say, go yell at and hug a stranger tomorrow. It might just make their day. Or it might get you jailed.

Today's Article is entitled: "It's a sad day for happy meals in Santa Clara County."
Read it if you like, I mostly liked the headline.

Work itself was a tad depressing. My six year olds were talking and it went something like this:

Katie: How come your parents don't live together?
Evan: I don't know.
Katie: Don't they like each other?
Evan: I guess not. They always fight.
Katie: Mine fight all the time too.
Evan: Do they live together.
Katie: Yeah, but they fight all the time. I don't like it. (she sighs.)

I suppose I shouldn't still be bothered over this sort of thing, but they're just so young.

And then later Brian came over...
Brian: Miss Stewart, what's boarding school?
Me: Why do you want to know?
Brian: Just tell me.
Me: Go look it up.
Brian: It's not for homework, just tell me what's boarding school?
Me: It's a place parents send kids when they don't want them anymore.
Brian: (weird look on his face. he's almost positive I'm kidding.) No it's not.
Me: Why?
Brian: I might go there next year.
Me: Oh. Well, it's like a school that you can live at.
Brian: Do they have T.V.'s
Me: Probably.


So I kind of botched that conversation. Definitely hoping I don't get any angry parent letters (although seeing as I've made it this far, I'm hopeful.)

I fell in love with Andrew all over again today. He came over asking me to give him a spelling test and I told him I was busy, and gestured at the pile of items I had to mark.

Me: I'll give you the test when I'm done.
Andrew: Please remember. (yeah, he's dealt with me before.)
Me: Okay, I'll try to remember.

And then, then he started singing "Try to remember" as he walked away. I almost had a conniption fit from the excitement.