A Person Worth Remembering

It was a nice evening in Fresno---I don't know if there are any anymore---and we were having a dance at the stake center on north Cedar, not too far from the place he stayed in while going to Fresno State. The dance was outside in the patio on the south side of the building. (In fact, their wedding reception would later be held there. I sang for them "And This is My Beloved.") I had gone to the front of the building for a little fresh air and alone time and was sitting on the brick planter. This really good looking young man drove up and leaned across the front seat to talk to me. He had dark hair and dark sparkling eyes---and his shirt was unbuttoned, maybe two or three buttons.

He asked what was going on and I tried to explain to him. I invited him in to the building and told him a little about the church and invited him to church the next Sunday to meet with the missionaries. To my great surprise he came. He is five or six years older than me and so our age difference at that particular time caused a little alarm with my parents. Anyway, he listened to the missionaries, the things he heard rang true. He remembered that his mother had taken them to a Mormon church some where in his past.

He was baptised three weeks after meeting the missionaries. I remember that he contemplated serving a mission, but married Pat instead. And I moved away to go to BYU. Pat helped at my wedding reception several years later and because I am lousy at writing and staying in touch it was a long time after I left Fresno as a married woman that I had any contact with these friends.

I am a fool for punishment. Tomorrow I will again attempt to be a terrific substitute teacher. In the morning, at one school, I will have two classes of "gifted and talented" elementary school children. In the afternoon I will again play rotating sub in two classes --- two different grades. It worked ok last week so I have no reason to think otherwise for tomorrow.

A second grade teacher called this afternoon and asked if I would be willing to take her class for a week in February. I love to know this far ahead that I have enough work to keep me at the store, spending.

A two year old sang for me tonight "Baa Baa Black sheep na na na na more. Yessir yessir three bags four." I was giggling too hard to hear the rest but it was great. She was on one and sang several songs for us. Oh to have the candid camera crew getting all this down for posterity. Heck with posterity I want to see it again NOW so I can giggle some more.

Not bad for a Wednesday.

The lamppost

No one was there! I need to learn how to do the brown buttered popcorn. That and a handful of carmels would be a terrific treat! Bring on the next assignment!

I remember a YELLOW ROSE

More to the point I remember the man who graciously handed out the yellow roses. It took me a little time to appreciated this man with the white beard. But the more interaction I had with him the more I came to respect him. One morning in the spring my friends and I were walking. We came to his cul de sac and walked in, to the end, and back out. On our way in we passed this brother who was out tending his roses. As we came back out he came to the road and greeted each of us with a rose. No words that I can recall; but what a lovely yellow rose. I will remember the gesture and continue to revere this man as a gentleman.

I promised another little bit for today. On Thursday evening I was at a screening for another LDS Lives show, this one for a pretty flamboyant music person from the sixties and seventies. After the showing there was a little reception and I helped my brother-in-law put out the goodies, serve the cake and generally hang around. After quite a bit of time I gathered up my coat and purse and looked in my bil's direction (he was chatting with the "star;" she was the chatter. And I began to sing "So long, farewell" from Sound of Music. The "star" looked my way and said, "Is that a hint? Is it time for me to go?"

So very embarrassed I apologized and said no that I was just saying good bye to my bil. She quit talking and walked away. Oh my. I put on my coat and headed for the nearest stairwell and exit door. I hope my bil will still talk to me. (Secretly I am thinking he was glad to be interrupted. At least I am surely hoping so.)

On the not so secret side, I got the distinct impression today that the contention part of the lesson was being hurled in my generall direction. One would say I am too touchy. But I am thinking I have grounds. Yep.

A week? It's been a week? Yep, it's been a week. On a day when it was warmer and we didn't have rain yet, all of my lawn ornaments were removed hence and placed in the garage. Oops. Now they are in the way. Nevermind that I did not put them there. And I am afraid they will stay til I can get to them or HE will throw them out (where he would like them to be anyway). (Are you laughing yet?)

Next, I went to an elementary school as a rotating teacher for the afternoon of Thursday. 45 minutes in one class and 40 in the other. Easy dollars that day, but next time they will probably make me actually EARN the money. Mmmm. Then I was the PE teacher? Hah! We all laughed and maybe even scoffed. I was not sad that the fourth grade decided to go swimming and so two of my classes weren't. When it finally gelled the rest of the day went in an interesting and PE fashion.

On a sad note I have learned that an old friend is suffering from Parkinson's and is actually in a "home" which I have not found out the particulars about. He lost his wife a few years ago to small cell non cancer cancer. It got her rather quickly once diagnosed. I wish I could "be there for him" but not knowing how to get hold of him poses the main problem. So does distance, but I can write or call once I know.

So this has been a ... week. Not come see, not come saw. But only come.

When are we looming? You have not called.

This will make you smile anyway since I bombed on the laughter: I took my little granddaughter with me in the car last Sunday and when we turned the corner to the east she cried out: "Snowflake!" at my friend's wonderful "star above the treetops." Well, it made ME smile anyway. But grandmas usually do.

Well after a few days hiatus from this wonderful activity I sit down to tell you that a teacher from the banned school called tonight, just now actually, and asked if I could work for her tomorrow. Sadly, I told her I certainly could but that the principal had said I could no longer work at their school and I was sure that one or both of us would be shot if I showed up!

We had a very interesting commiserating conversation in which we discovered we thought the same about children manipulating the system and not wanting to try very hard to "get along in the world." Let someone else fix this for me. Even tho I am only in first grade I don't have to comply.

A few years ago I had the opportunity for the umpteenth time to sub in my friend's kindergarten class. The morning went along nicely for about an hour when a young man said to me "Could I call my mom?" "Don't you feel well, Adam?" "Oh, I feel ok. But my mom told me that when you are the teacher I don't have to be at school." Well, I called the mom and told her the conversation and she said, "That's right. Would you please send him out to the flagpole?" I told her that I could not do that. The school rule was that the parent had to come in to the office and check the student out. Ok was her reply and that was the end of my school relationship with that child, who thinks he doesn't have to try to understand people, or tolerate situations or simply learn to get along. Good for mom. I wonder if she really is the winner.

We all have "crosses to bear." I have so many that it's a wonder on some days I can move across the floor let alone across the driveway to my car. In fact all the crosses wouldn't fit in my car! But I do see the value in teaching children to tolerate, to understand, to get along with "outsiders." What am I thinking! I guess I should be shot.