I think that may be my last 6th grade field trip. Shheeesh! It was not pleasant. A 25-minute bus ride with 65 or so 11 and 12 year-olds. They can't bear to just sit quietly if they have nothing to say, so they call out everything they see. "Walmart!" "Let's go to Walmart!" "Shell Gas!" "Let's get some gas!" Such clever creatures. Have they never been out before?
The bus deposited us at a theatre where we saw an abbreviated version of the musical Alice in Wonderland, which I think is probably kind of a weird show anyway, but with 4 scenes cut out of it, one seriously could not follow the story.
The boy sitting two people away from me got sick in the middle of the performance, and that was a new experience for me. One I can cross off the list, done that, don't ever need to do that again. It was very stinky, as I'm sure you can imagine, and then the janitor came and poured some of that stuff on the yuk. The smell took me back in time, to third grade when JOnathan S. threw up in class. Awful. And the poor kid! And all these goofy, squirrely 6th graders making a big scene....
The show was followed by another long bus ride, where the poor ill boy couldn't quite make it off the bus in time, and was scrunched up, heaving, on the grass as 400 of his classmates walked by on their way into the building. Being respectful and sympathetic, of course.
It actually took me a few minutes of sitting in silence when I got home to decompress.
I love my 6th grader, but there definitely is a middle-school season. Where he is obnoxious, and loves to irritate other people. Either that, or he retreats into some other world, reading or watching a screen....This is Lars at our Mother's Day Brunch. Once his belly was full, he got back to his book. I know some would get mad about something like this. He did miss out on connecting with his extended family that afternoon. But I remember wanting to do nothing but read my book. (just yesterday! ha!)
3 comments:
Oh, wow, that does not sound like a fun day - for you or the sick kid. I think my mom only went on one field trip...now I know why. Thankfully, junior high is only 2-3 years depending on your school district....
Kris
PS. Speaking as a member of the extended family - I didn't mind the reading on Sunday. I don't think his grandmother minded either.
Wal Mart! Shell! On a bus with a retching kid! You know how to have a good time, lady.
One question: when you were sitting in silence decompressing at home, were you in the fetal position? I might have been if I were you. :)
Michelle,
I don't remember my exact position, but I know there was a LOT of sighing.
Lars just told me this morning that Mike, the ill student ended up getting his appendix removed!!
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