The Butt of My Students' Joke--My Butt

An entire class of my kids laughed at my butt today. Sure was something. I was bringing them to my classroom, which is at the other end of the known universe from the other classes, and I was walking in the usual way--quickly

Until I heard the laughter. Then I turned around and asked what the joke was. They giggled and covered their mouths. I couldn't imagine. I turned and walked on, but the laughter continued. I turned and saw the kids watching my rear end. So I asked if there were something on the back of my pants I needed to know about. (Our building is as dirty as a subway station; anything could have been going on back there.) Finally, one of the girls said, "No, Miss. It's the way you walk. Why do you walk like that?"

Alrighty, then. I had no answer. So I pulled the teacher face and told them very seriously to walk to the next hallway. I watched the tallest girl, the one who had just enlightened me, walk.

I returned to the head of the line. "I think I can do it now," I said. "Let's go." And I swaggered just like my tall friend. It took us about three minutes to get up the stairs, but it was worth it.

"Don't make fun of old people; it isn't nice," I said. And the day began.

Returning to the other wing at the end of our hour, I told them, "Walk like me so we can get there today." The little twirps power-walked like a bunch of aging women.

Nothing like being the butt of a joke!