Looked through a box of old photos and found this….

This is a handmade birthday card that I received way back when I used to teach at Kapolei Elementary School. This reminded me of a funny story….

These students used to visit my classroom after school to hang out (and deplete my supply of snacks.) They saw that I had a guitar in my class and always asked me to play it for them. I even “promised” that I would play a song for them one day before they graduated from 5th grade. Well, that day came and passed. In fact, the photo on this card is from their graduation day.

A few weeks into their middle school year, they stormed in after school and demanded that I keep my promise. I said, “Oh, not today. I have papers to grade.” They then gave me the saddest look of grief and abandonment. I gave in….

I pulled out the guitar and sat on a table. The girls anxiously pulled up chairs and sat close enough to see up my nostrils. I said, “Heyyyy! Back off….” After another look of grief, I gave in again. (Such a pushover.) I said, “OK. Sit wherever….”

I started to play and sing “Hero” by Enrique Iglesias. It was an awkward moment. They started giggling. I kept singing. Then they started laughing. Hysterically! I finally stopped and said, “Heyy!!! You can’t laugh when I’m trying to sing for you!”

They said, “Oh no Mr. T. We’re laughing because we didn’t think you’d be this good.”

‘Til this day, I still don’t know if that was a compliment or an insult….