Years and years ago, I ended up in the grocery store with a former student whom I had tutored in middle school and have remained friends with until this day.
I don’t remember which store we were in, why he was there, or any logistical detail, but I remember with crystal clarity that as we entered the meat section he turned to me and said,
“Mom, did we get the welfare check this week?”
Holy God. I was mortified. Then with a twinkle in his eye, he said, (loudly)
“Mom, please don’t hit me when we get to the parking lot, OK?”
People were staring. at. me.
I could have KILLED him and he knew it. And I also knew that he was clever enough to use anything I said against me in a public way.
I raced through the rest of whatever the heck I was buying that day, and he followed me to the check out where he continued,
“Mom, are you going to write a check again? You know what happened last time you did.”
I honestly thought I was going to melt right there in front of the cashier, and then whip his ever lovin butt one we got outside, ending up on the six o’clock news: “Teacher beats student in front of local grocery.”
This same student once stood outside of the women’s restroom, calling inside,
“Miss Woods? Are you in there?”
I couldn’t help but think, “is this what parenting is going to be like?”
…
