A chance to eat during the teaching day has always been a highlight, and something I look forward to with great anticipation; it is extremely important to me that the food be distributed smoothly, and my room avoid becoming a hazardous zone.
Therefore, I like to have the students seated while I pass out the food and drinks during a classroom holiday party. This year during the Valentine's party, I decided I would be the responsible recipient to pass out the hot, BBQ sausages brought in by a student excited to share his mother's outstanding recipe. My serving platter was merely a paper plate, but I figured with my ingenuity, I could manage the task without flaw. Paper plate in hand, I meandered around the room, sharing the hot sausages with each student.
Simultaneously, Mr. Culp (a parent volunteer) was passing out the pop. Being a multitasker, I asked the students to raise their hands if they wanted Sierra Mist to drink. As I made the announcement, I was preparing to deliver sausages to a student extremely excited about receiving pop, for the student's enthusiasm led him to raise his hand quickly and violently upward in my direction, unaware of my proximity, hitting the precious BBQ sausage plate out of my hands. Ten sausages and a rich, thick sausage sauce went flying straight up in the air. I closed my eyes, hoping this was only a dream and hoping for the best, for I knew that once something goes up, it must come down. And that's exactly what the sausages did, hitting me in the face, shoulders, and chest, while sauce splattered on me like rain.
And yes, I was wearing my favorite red Valentine shirt and tie; these pieces of clothing suffered the brunt of the sausage attack, and still have the stains to prove the seriousness of the matter. The student that bumped me was very apologetic and repeated over and over, "I'm sorry, Mr. Fredin. I'm so sorry." For repentance, this student quickly rescued eight sausages from the floor, and loaded them back on the plate. Stunned, and bit annoyed that food was being wasted, I said, " I don't want them; throw them away!"
The student who brought in the sausages, chimed in quickly, not wanting to see his Mom's prized sausages go uneaten said, " I'll eat them."
And he did.
