How did this happen?
It began with Holly, randomly sidling up during the fly swatter game.
"Would you like a massage?" she asked, grinning.
"Why of course." I responded, thinking it might be funny.
Funny it was.
The little girl karate-chopped my back and squished my shoulders, all while I tried to judge the fly swatter game.
Alicia rose up soon after, asking primly if I would like a "scalp massage".
"Oh okay, wow, I feel like I am at the spa."
Soon it turned into Holly giving me a 'massage', which was actually making me melt into the chair and Alicia singing her tune loudly while pulling my hair up into a tall snarl. And kids hitting the whiteboard with fly swatters while I yelled out things in Spanish.
I looked behind me and four girls stood in a row, each 'massaging' each others shoulders.
'Please don't let me get observed, please don't let me get observed' I thought, as I giggled at the freak scene around me.
And, it was only my first class of the day.
"How do you, you know, make friends with people?" Tyrone asked me, after pulling me out into the hall during class. His head twitched a little to the right.
I wondered what he meant, did he mean when he sidled up to Kimmie and asked her if she wanted to
'be his friend' or just like, making friends in general?
"Well, you just sort of hang out with them, play Four Square or something and see who appeals to you."
"But how do you ask them to be friends?" he responded, eyebrows furrowed and again, a strange pull on his lower lip, sucking it into his mouth.
"Well, you don't have to make it official, people just know."
"What does official mean?"
"Well like, you don't have to ask. You just hang around with the people you like hanging out with and that enjoy being around you too."
He looked confused.
He had been separating himself in the cafeteria. At first he said it was because of Kimmie and would sit with tears in his eyes alone at a table. Now he said that he didn't know how to approach any of the kids.
"So....," Fulton informed me, leaning in, eyes glowing, "we went to Toledo. There was a lot of snow."
"Why did you go to Toledo?"
"Well, my Grandma broke her neck." he responded, emotionless.
"The facial ticks, the inability to read, I don't know how to tell his parents that he needs to see a doctor without getting sued. He is not getting ANY services." his teacher informed me, exasperated.
"NONE? He's not getting reading support, special ed anything? He is GENERAL ED?" I asked, feeling my own eyes about to get wet.
"Correct." she answered.
"Where's Oliver?" I heard his parapro ask the secretary. It was after the bell.
"I think I see him right now."
I heard the door open. Numerous voices greeted him. Everyone loves Oliver, believe me. I am not the only fan.
"They finally got him to a doctor. He has a neurological disorder and is on a first grade reading level. There is no way this disorder popped up over night. Why wasn't it diagnosed before? Was it there before or did he have a head injury?!" The teacher's eyes were bulging.
"Please tell me the wheels are rolling now. He may not be special ed. His injury or syndrome might be impairing his ability to learn. He needs a 504, we need accommodations....." I was prattling on now too, anxious.
"Good morning, Oliver." I heard our principal greet.
"Answer him, Oliver." his parapro, Marsha, instructed.
"Running late this morning?" our principal continued.
"YES." Oliver responded in his characteristic flat, yet emphatic way.
"Why don't you go eat some breakfast before going to class."
"ATE."
"Okay, why don't you just take a second then to wash your face and hands before heading up."
"OKAY."
"I'm givin' you a SCALP MASSAGE!" ran through my head like a jingle of a commercial. My co-worker Michelle
and I combed over the IB website, after the kids had been dismissed.
"I have one last announcement."
Oh no, there are never announcements after school.
"Looks like we are having a little plumbing work done and the water is going to be shut off for a few hours. I would like to advise you to......."
Go to the bathroom, fast?
"HEAD HOME."
Man, Hilary, you rock!
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