Day 11) You turn a corner and are surprised to find.
“You turn a corner and are surprised to find.”
Her.
I haven’t seen her since elementary school. And here I was, minding my own business, heading to my next class when I turn the corner and see her.
She looks amazing, of course. She always looked amazing. Even in first grade when every kid had a massively noticeable gap between at least two of their teeth, hers were perfectly aligned. While most first graders insist on dressing themselves, resulting in a noticeable frump-style, she looked as put together as an L.L. Bean child model. She always had the best grades, the best hair, the best lunches, and the best birthday parties. When our class moved up to the county middle school, she moved on to a private finishing school in Pennsylvania.
Guess she was all finished, now.
That Annalise Rosamund Primm would be standing in the hallway of Cumberton College was beyond me.
Her brunette hair tumbled down her back in large, luscious curls. Dark, denim skinny jeans were tucked neatly into genuine leather – how could they not be? – riding boots. Coupled with a monogrammed blazer, it seemed that Annalise Rosamund Primm’s put-together fashion hadn’t changed since elementary. Glancing down at my favorite pair of Chuck Taylors, baggy jeans and graphic tee, I realized that my style probably hadn’t changed either. Apparel aside, I noticed something infinitely more important. She began to walk in my direction.
Fight or flight instincts took over. I chose flight.
My faithful Chucks weren’t so faithful, because as I quickly spun around on my heels they made a screeching noise almost like a bad car accident. Of course, because I had sloshed through a pile of mud just before walking in the building my shoes were squeaky as well as slippery. In an instant, I was on my rear-end on the floor. Readjusting my wide framed glasses, I looked up to see the face I’d been running from.
“Megan? That’s never you.” she cooed.
“Yeah, hi.” I moaned.
“You know when I chose to transfer to Cumberton, I had no idea I’d see anyone I recognized. Not anyone at all!”
“Yeah,” I managed again, “isn’t that something?”
“Quite.” she giggled. Then a courtesy, “I hope you’ve been well.”
“Yeah,” I began with my new favorite word, “I’ve been doing alright. You know, just studying and stuff.”
She hummed. “Listen, Megan, I wonder if I could ask you a small favor. I’ve yet to find a roommate and, since we’re such good friends, I wonder if you would be mine?”
They say you never know what’s around the next corner. I wish I had.
Fun! Now I want to know if they become room-mates and how it works out! 🙂
http://bekscontemplations.blogspot.com/2013/10/31-days-of-writing-day-eleven-turn.html
You Turn a Corner and Are Surprised To Find…
They’re good boys, but I have to tell them to put away their iPhones.
Only grade six, they are already so hooked in and wired up, but as a Supervisor at lunchtime, I have to get them to follow the rules.
“If you don’t have permission from your teacher, then you have to put them in your backpacks, boys. Off you go.”
I follow them over to their coat hooks and out the door I go.
I peeked back into the classroom. (I do that sometimes) I was surprised! One of the boys pulled his iPhone right back out again and was heading back to his desk!
I walked back in, tapped him on the shoulder and asked him to come outside with me. As he walked by his backpack, he tried to sneak it back in there.
“No, no, just come right out here,” I said as I led him out into the hallway. He’d been caught. He was hoping I wasn’t going to send him to the office. And I hate to see kids sweat, but I have to let them worry a bit. I stopped in the hallway and leaned on the wall.
“Listen, you know what you did. You were sneaking it back out again, and that can’t make you feel too good in here,” I say quietly as I point to his heart. I could see he felt badly. “I love my iPhone too, but you have to keep it in your backpack and also you have to listen to me when I tell you something, right? I’m not a mean person, am I?” I question gently but firmly.
He shakes his head no.
“And I like to know that when I ask you to do something, that I can look into your blue eyes, and know that you’ll do it; that I can trust you.”
He looked sad and repentant, and I got all soft.
Patting him on the shoulder, I said, “Now go back in and put it away.”
With much relief, he did.
We all make mistakes. We all have temptations. Sometimes life is very hard for kids.
As adults, we have to love them deeply, try our best to understand them, and have mercy on them, just like our merciful Father has for us.
Thanks so much for writing, Janice! I love the angle you took with this piece; it really lends itself to sympathy for the boys – especially calling to mind that our Lord is merciful to us!
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