Have you ever wondered how many items a fifth grade boy can fit in his pockets? That’s exactly what I was left pondering when a particular student arrived for his lesson chewing gum.
I reminded the young man to get rid of the gum - so “boy genius” stuck it in his ear. Yes, you heard me right. I gave him the evil eye whilst suppressing a smile. He explained he had nowhere else to put it because his pockets were already full. He began to show me as he started to pull things out of his pockets: a snack in a plastic container, a hole puncher, a yoyo, plastic spider, a ball, some string and something else I can't remember. You tell me.
Henceforth, I called him Mr. Pockets.
Okay, I have another question. Have you ever put on someone else’s shorts by mistake? Earlier in the day, “my boy” and another 5th grader arrived late for class after PE. Both of them had bright red faces as the boys in the class started to laugh.
Apparently, they had put on each other’s shorts by mistake (Mr. Pockets must not have taken his pirate booty with him) and they didn’t want to sit down because it meant more of their skin would be touching more of the material that had previously been touching the other boy's skin. They had the heebie jeebies and were dancing around making the most absurd gestures I’ve ever seen (and can’t imagine ever witnessing again.) For them, sitting down was not an option - they stood at the back of the classroom until they grew so tired they had to take their seats. How humiliating!
Ah, middle school … the wonder years.
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