Still enjoying my conversations in the school lunchroom. About a week ago, I sat down with a class of 1st-graders. Adopting the closest thing I have to a cheerful and enthusiastic tone, I say, “How’s school today guys?” Little girl across from me immediately gives an emphatic thumbs down, like John McCain voting against his party.
Me: Oh no! Did something bad happen?
Her: No, I just hate school.
Today I forced myself on a 2nd-grade class. We were talking about teeth, mainly because several of them were missing a few. One of them pointed out that my teeth “aren’t that white.” Not wanting to blame red wine consumption, I said it was because of all the coffee I drink. At this point, someone who had been listening in silence spoke up for the first time–a girl with very black skin and a head covering said, in a distinct British accent, “Have you ever considered drinking tea?” I was surprised by the diction and the accent and I think I just gazed at her like a dope because after a second or two she added, as if she thought she had better elaborate on her recommendation, “My papa drinks a lot of tea.”
Leave a comment