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Ho Ho Ho

The AP walked into my classroom yesterday morning. As my supervisor he does that often. Yesterday, being a half-day before the Holiday, I hadn’t expected to see him. The reading block had just ended and my students were preparing our classroom for the party. The AP took about seven steps into the room and stood staring at the chaos. I couldn’t help but notice his electronic clipboard under his arm — the one he uses for employee evaluations.

Several young ladies were opening bags of chips — forbidden treats banned by CCSD’s new nutrition guidelines. Paper plates and napkins, and mini-chocolate bars were being passed out. Cyndi offered the AP a chocolate cupcake slathered in butter cream icing. Nessa offered him a similarly iced sugar cookie. He declined both politely, then his fingers began dancing rapidly over the clipboard’s touch pad.

I was on my knees at my classroom refrigerator passing out caffeine laden sodas — highly forbidden — to my students. I stared at the AP with a sinking feeling. His fingers stopped moving. He held the clipboard up and studied his work, then he slipped the stylus from the side and started toward me. He was going to ask me to sign the dang thing.

I rocked back on my heels, looked up at him and challenged, “You have GOT to be kidding.”

He swung the clipboard toward me saying, “Yeah, actually, I am.” I looked at the screen. Bright red and green letters spelled out, “Merry Christmas!” and “Happy New Year.”

I offered him a soda. He said no thanks, but accepted a potato chip from Jasmine. Then he winked at me and disappeared through the communicating door into Mr. Texas-Drawl’s room. Moments later through the open door I heard a very twangy, “Ya’ll better be kiddin’ me!”

Quilly is the pseudonym of Charlene L. Amsden, who lives on The Big Island in Hawaii. When she is not hanging out with Amoeba, she is likely teaching or sewing. Or she could be cooking, taking photographs, or even writing. But if she's not doing any of that, she's probably on Facebook or tinkering with her blog.

20 Comments

  3. Pauline — Since I’ve worked with the AP for three years and know he’s such a practical joker, and since he’d stated the week before that he didn’t think the nutrition guidlines embraced the proper holiday spirit, I really should have suspected he was teasing, but I didn’t.

    Kat — somedays it is more excellent than others.

  6. QD:

    Glad you didn’t wind up on the wrong side of the establishment!

    Isn’t it a shame that “we” can’t go back to the good old days when every child could have a birthday party with their school friends…and those with birthdays during holidays, weekends and vacations could cobble a shindig together? As an August baby (Leo…gee who’s surprised at that?) I never had the chance to have a day to myself, but somehow I overcame that psychological torture and learned to share celebrations with others.

    Glad the story had a happy ending! Not sure I consider the term “twangy” complimentary though. Far too many of my neighbors probably fall into that category…how about “Texas accented?”

    See you on the high ground and have a very Merry Christmas!

    MajorDad1984

  7. Next year, I guess, you’ll find out if this AD was the real McCoy or a “Filly Fillin”.

    My daughters both had “Filly Fillins” to take their places when they did something unusual, especially if it was likely to have negative consequences, as in Mom or Dad getting cross with them.

    Neither was named Dude – they being girls, of course.

    🙂

  8. Charlie — the school district does send us supervisor evaluation forms every other year or so. They are not electronic.

    Cindy — it is fun from this side.

    MajorDad — what a surprise! Welcome, and Merry Christmas to you. And at the end of the school year in my classroom we have a little ceremony for the summer birthdays, so for at least one year they do not get left out.

    OC — Dudette?

  12. Bill — it was pleasant and fun.

    Silver — I was doubting it for a few moments, but yeah, Santa still lives.

    Gary — Wow! I am flattered. Be careful. I can feel my head swelling!

  13. Reminds me of when I was a high school English teacher. However, the principal that did my evals (whom also was the school’s head principal) was never so cruel!

  14. Haha. I just stumbled across your site and this made me laugh. I can imagine the sinking feeling and the look on your face. Thanks for the imagery. I linked to your site, I hope that is ok!

  15. Phoenix — Welcome. In the case of this eval, I am embracing the motto, “Alls well that ends well.”

    Deb — Welcome. And of course it is okay that you linked to my site. Your voice is more than welcome at this party.

  16. Reminds me of Scrooge, when an administrator reveals a hint of their repressed humanity.

    Unlike Scrooge’s, of course, such lapses are fleeting.

  18. This post made me smile from ear to ear! That’s just awesome, Quilly. (Sorry I wasn’t here to read it sooner; I fell behind in blogging with all the holiday season goings on.)

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