fist bump
At some point this week, or maybe it was last, the kids were lined up for afternoon recess. And I will never take a loud line anywhere, so while they worked to quiet themselves (a mighty task some days!:) I was working at my desk. I don't stand to put my coat on until they are ready. It's never really that long--it is their recess and they want to get to it.
And as silence settled upon the room, I stood to put my coat on. And zip it up. Flip up my hood. Find my keys. And as I reached to pocket my phone, I was struck, frozen by a tiny tableau not 2 feet from me.
One boy turned to face his friend behind him, their places in line were right by my desk. Some sort of silent communication passed between them and they began their secret handshake. And I would tell you what it was. But then I'd have to kill you.
And into this deafening can-we-please, please, please-get-out-to-recess silence, I said to the two boys in full voice:
"Oh, I am totally teaching Mrs. Kleckner that handshake."
They glanced up, for the first time aware of me and I went on...
"And we will become a part of your secret club--"
"No!"
"And go to meetings--"
"No!" The second boy echoed the first.
"...and we will speak in codes and have adventures! Just you and me and Mrs. Kleckner..."
And those two sillies just laughed and laughed. We went outside. Life went on. All forgotten. Even by me.
Until today.
My class and I were in the library when Mrs. Kleckner came down to ask me about something during her plan time. We spoke quietly to each other just so we didn't disturb my readers and then she turned to go on her way.
It just so happened that my two hand shakers were sitting across from each other at the diamond points of Bess and me. A fact I did not notice, but she apparently did because just as soon as she turned to leave, she spun back and said: "Wait. The secret handshake."
And since we had practiced at recess that day one or two weeks ago, it went off without a hitch. And right in front of our two secret clubmates, whose faces were ab.sol.ut.ely priceless.
And as silence settled upon the room, I stood to put my coat on. And zip it up. Flip up my hood. Find my keys. And as I reached to pocket my phone, I was struck, frozen by a tiny tableau not 2 feet from me.
One boy turned to face his friend behind him, their places in line were right by my desk. Some sort of silent communication passed between them and they began their secret handshake. And I would tell you what it was. But then I'd have to kill you.
And into this deafening can-we-please, please, please-get-out-to-recess silence, I said to the two boys in full voice:
"Oh, I am totally teaching Mrs. Kleckner that handshake."
They glanced up, for the first time aware of me and I went on...
"And we will become a part of your secret club--"
"No!"
"And go to meetings--"
"No!" The second boy echoed the first.
"...and we will speak in codes and have adventures! Just you and me and Mrs. Kleckner..."
And those two sillies just laughed and laughed. We went outside. Life went on. All forgotten. Even by me.
Until today.
My class and I were in the library when Mrs. Kleckner came down to ask me about something during her plan time. We spoke quietly to each other just so we didn't disturb my readers and then she turned to go on her way.
It just so happened that my two hand shakers were sitting across from each other at the diamond points of Bess and me. A fact I did not notice, but she apparently did because just as soon as she turned to leave, she spun back and said: "Wait. The secret handshake."
And since we had practiced at recess that day one or two weeks ago, it went off without a hitch. And right in front of our two secret clubmates, whose faces were ab.sol.ut.ely priceless.