Referee, Counselor, Cop

Well, spring fever gets to all of us, even with unseasonable snow on its heels. The days get longer, the kids get crazier, the grown-ups get grumpier, and life just spins out of control- especially right before Spring Break.

So here we are, an unusual day with lots of special things happening, taking it easy, coasting all we can when, WHAM! Out of the blue comes the conflict. Now, today is Thursday. We're out of school tomorrow for Good Friday. (Fridays are always Good for me!) We've sung our little hearts out all week, learned new stuff, worked hard, so Friday is 'Musical Day', in that we watch a musical in class. (When will most of these little darlins ever see a musical? Heck, they can't spell it, and if it doesn't bump, boom, bombbiddy bomp, they usually don't listen to it.) Anyway, here we are, deeply engrossed in the drama of the moment when a girl who usually never speaks comes up to my desk and says "Walter [name is changed to protect the teacher] is calling me a B*%$#." Well. Walter has his own set of problems, but has been doing better. The sweetie then informs me that 2 other comrades are partners in crime with Walter.

By this time, the mood is destroyed, nobody cares who's singing anymore and all they want to know is what did Walter and say and what his buddies said. So, I put on my referee hat and take the three 'perpetrators' to the hall. When we get to the hall, nobody claims to have said what she said they said. In other words, foul made, instant replay unavailable. Sooo, I bring out the Sweetie. She starts railing the 3 perps and repeats IN DETAIL what she thought they all said about and to her. Whoa.....Counselor hat goes on. Let's all calm down and talk this out. Well, trying to difuse a volatile situation with that hat on is like a mute yelling at two fighting dogs to stop. It's about that time that I start thinking "I'M TOO OLD FOR THIS!" The Counselor Hat comes off and immediately the Cop hat goes on. "To the office, all of you!" There were about 20 other students in the process of losing control when that moment finally came. Bring out the riot gear....call the SWAT team!

Fortunately for me, the administrator is a sharp cookie, and she takes control before I can get back down to the office. Another North Korean missile hits the Pacific with no casualties! Control. Peace. Breathe. Lunchtime comes, the kiddies go, I take off all my hats and sit a spell. Maybe I need to rethink that bump, boom, bombbiddy bomp stuff. Nah. I'll keep my musicals. *The hills are still alive with the sound of sirens.* Happy Friday.