How Many Times Has it Been?

Twenty.  The answer is twenty.

That's right.  This afternoon, I packed up the final items in the classroom.  I waved goodbye to the fleeing backs of children as they set new land speed records for going from a door to a bus.  I attended a lackluster staff luncheon and wandered around the building looking for something to do to kill the rest of the time I had to be there.  (last days of school are notorious for being half-days for students, but full ones for staff)  I spent more time than is good for me tormenting those poor people who haven't yet finished up all their paperwork or who still need to find a safe place to store the flag for the summer.  

I returned the abandoned report cards to the office and checked to make sure that I hadn't left the coffee pot plugged in because that would be an utter disaster for the custodians.  I washed the board for the first and last time all year.  

I stealthily made my way to the door well before the actual dismissal time and don't feel badly about that one little bit since everyone else had already done it before me.  The principal looked the other way, just as principals have been doing since the dawn of time.

I have been doing these things each and every June for exactly twenty years.  You'd think it would get old.  That the monotony might get to me after the first five, ten or fifteen years.

But it doesn't.  It is still a very, very good kind of day.  

Stick a fork in my Twenty Year Veteran Teacher Tushie.  I'm done, folks.  Summer vacation is upon me.  The buses have all exited the parking lot and the custodians are probably doing a dance of joy right now because they are as happy to see the teachers get out of their way as we were to see the kids head out for the summer.  It is done.

If you need me, I'll be here.  I'll be the one knitting the oddly shaped scarf and telling everyone repeatedly and with agonizing regularity that I am now on vacation until September.  Feel free to say, "hi!"

But don't be too surprised if I hug you for just a little bit too long and tell you all about how I won't be getting up tomorrow morning...

SA