The Daily News
1 “Hi, Mr. Harrington!”
2 “Hi, Jenny!” <he thinks for the brief seconds that most can come up with perhaps in shorter style> “What’s crackin’?”
3 Jenny is this student I had last year when we did a Romeo and Juliet sub-unit called “Masks”.
4 The assignment was to research Renaissance masks, and then to design your OWN.
5 Said Jenny got INTO it and did an entire plastic mask made of of papier machette.
6 She and her Dad worked on it for two weeks straight. It was a beautiful plaster mask with entirely amaing details.
7 The day she was to hand it in, Jenny dropped it, putting a huge cut diagonally across the face of the mask, a sort of Phantom look instantly attained.
8 Well, it was important to Jenny, the assignment, so when all the other kids presented theirs, I noticed Jenny had put hers back into a bag.
9 So it goes.
10 Anyway, I saw all this and gathered her mask and put it behind my desk, in the cubbies.
11 The other kids went on to present some pretty amazing masks. I couldn’t help but glance over at Jenny and saw that she was crying.
12 It was a special time, Jenny and her Dad. We all have those moments, and that particular day was the deadline.
13 As the presentations continued, I managed to grab Jenny’s mask when no one was looking and to ditch it in a cubby behind my desk.
14 When the bell rang ending the school day, Jenny hung out. She asked if I saw where her bag with the mask was.
15 I told her that I had it, and that I was going to fix it for her.
16 Her face completely changed, and she broke into a beautiful smile. She cried, and tears rolled down her face. It was a moment, to be sure.
17 Well, time moved on; the mask sat, and I had no idea how to fix it. Still don’t.
18 But Jenny began loving my class, and getting absorbed in the various and sundry activities that would fashion each lesson. She laughed and enjoyed each day,
sometimes coming in early saying, “Hey Mr. H! What’s crackin’?” Just wonderful.
19 Meanwhile, I had asked the art teacher about what sorts of glue would work best with plaster, and she gave me several types. I thanked her, went home, and STILL was afraid I might screw up that mask, which represented a special time between daughter and dad.
20 This actually turned into a cool sort of “inside” joke between me and Jenny. She would bound into my classroom various times throughout the current year, smile from ear to ear, and say,”Hey Mr. H, what’s crackin’?”
21 Even though I no longer have Jenny, the mask remains on a shelf at home, still awaiting the grand repair. It is ALWAYS this cool issue between Jenny and me, but she absolutely LOVES coming in every few weeks saying, “Hey Mr. H, what’s crackin’?”, inevitably followed by, “Have you fixed my mask yet?”
22 At this point, I haven’t, and probably won’t until later in the year. It has become, however, the single most important thing I have to do before the school year ends.
23 AnywayZ, in the midst of all sorts of the usual teaching angst, lesson plans, grading of papes, and all the rest, I was wandering from my room to somewhere or other on
the campus when I glanced over, saw Jenny break into a huge smile and say, “Hey Mr. H!”
24 Completely lost in thought about not only the day, but all the recent events in my life, I looked up and said, “Hi, Jenny!” And then I paused and thought of everything that has gone on in the entire last year, like you do every now and again. It was a quick bolt, but almost the equivalent of the proverbial life flash just before you die, only in an almost cosmic sort of way. I walked a step, turned, smiled through my sunglasses, and said:
25 “What’s crackin’?”
26 Indeed.
27 Ever just have one of those moments in the day that is almost soulful?
28 When I said those words, I moved instantly out the door and into the morning sunshine, my new tacky orange and black sunglasses turning the sky and the hills above to a sort of bluish grey.
29 I’ve had a rough month, and that one little exchange reminded me of everything I am, and have ever been, and reassured me that this was going to be a wonderful year.
30 I ALSO knew at that moment that this was to be the center focus of today’s DN.
31 I smiled, because somewhere in the hills, or wherever, someone reminded me of who I was, something that might have been missing for the past few months.
32 Just a simple moment, but an amazing moment. Teaching gives you those.
33 But a grand moment, to be sure, resulting in a grand smile.
34 Jenny’s mask still sits on my shelf at home, cracked and wondering why it hasn’t been fixed yet.
35 Maybe because it just isn’t the right time.
36 Or maybe it is.
37 Either way, it all turned into a message from somewhere, either from the Creator of the Universe, or perhps some angel, or perhaps even from the immortal Joe the
Bear. Wherever it came from, it let me know loudly that it wasn’t the time to repair the mask. It represents too much new hope, and an entire new direction.
38 It still sits on my shelf at home, cracked and wondering why it hasn’t been fixed yet.
39 I have to repair my own head first, I imagine, and learn to enjoy those little moments.
40 But somewhere in all of this is where I am headed as a teacher, and it felt immensely empowering and encouraging.
41 I looked to the hills right above our school and thanked the Lord, or the Creator of the Universe. or some angel, or even Joe the Bear for all the good gifts.
42 Time to turn the tide, and take care of business.
43 One of my finest soulful moments at the Chill.
44 Moving on: My Dad goes in for surgery today at 6 a.m. I love my Dad. I called in sick so I could be with him.
45 Pray for him. Pray for everyone.
46 Have a great weekend everybody.
47 Live life.
48 Love life.
49 I love you.
50 Peace.
~H~
