SLICE #9

It is the week before PARCC testing
and the student council at my school is hosting Spirit Week.

Monday was Twin Day.
I wore a white turtleneck,
jeans, a fleece vest,
and the Birkenstocks
I dug out of the back of my closet.
(I think I last wore them
when I was in college).
I was supposed to look like the art teacher
but she forgot
that we were supposed to dress up
and so we were fraternal twins.

Yesterday was Hawaiian Day.
I wore a $2 shirt
that the assistant principal
bought at the Goodwill
(it actually was not too bad,
and my friend, Kathy,
and I decided that it the person who gave it away
must not be a teacher, because a teacher
 would have  known
about Hawaiian Day
and never would have
given this shirt away)

Today was Career Day.
We were supposed to dress up
in clothes that matched
what we wanted to do
when we grew up.

My principal
dressed up
like a judge.
One of the first graders
wore laboratory goggles
and a chef's apron.
He's planning to
work in a restaurant
four days a week,
then be a scientist on the fifth.
It sounds like a nice combination to me.
There were ballerinas,
and lots of soccer players,
and several doctors and nurses
and one construction worker.

I didn't dress any differently
than I usually I do.
Well, I guess I did a little
because the superintendent and her team
were coming to our school.
I wore a dress and heels.

But I didn't dress
any differently than usual
I didn't need to.
Because I am a teacher.
It's who I have always been.
And who I want to be
when I grow up.