Stories from the Crowd: There’s No Taking the Teacher Out of Me

by Bettepat Miller Graves

It’s been twenty years since I’ve been a full-time educator. Yet, I still find myself going back to my professional training. I recently found myself in a “teachable moment” that college professors and Inservice Training consultants are so fond of encouraging. The day was the Fourth of July. I had been trying all stinkin’ day to get to the local chain fabric store to get the one piece of cheap fabric I needed to complete a project. Of course, the store was understaffed on a holiday. But hey, I was out of the house and on an errand that was completely for me and my enjoyment. I got the bolt of fabric I needed and didn’t dilly-dally. I knew that this wasn’t going to be a quick trip to the cutting counter so I immediately joined the four other folks in line. As I was waiting my turn (patiently) with the other folks in line (also patiently waiting), this woman comes into the store with her two young boys. These two boys were both preschoolers and their behavior left something to be desired from the get-go. They both trailed the mom into the store and she never looked back to see what in the devil they were up to the entire time she made her way to the back of the store. I, on the other hand, noticed that these two tykes were seriously lacking the skills necessary to accompany mom to the store. I wasn’t sure, but came to the conclusion quickly, that these two little rascals had never been introduced to the concept every mom worth her salt instills in her children….don’t touch, don’t run, and stay right beside me. One little fellow took a hankering to some peach chiffon. He was so enamored by the stuff that he rubbed his nasty little boy face into the fabric. The other was crawling under shelves and totally running amuck.

Mom got what she needs and comes back to the cutting table. She looks at those of us waiting patiently to be helped. The mom calls to her children who pay absolutely no attention to her. Next, she turns to those of us in line and asks, “Do you mind if I cut in line so I can get my sons out of the store before they tear it up?” Without even missing a beat, I replied, “Yes, ma’am, I do mind. I will NOT give you a short-term solution to a long-term problem.” Needless to say, the lady was so taken aback that someone would even dare respond in such a manner that she set her bolt of fabric on the cutting counter, gathered her hellions, and left mumbling something not so nice.

I was congratulated on my stance by both of the store’s employees and the folks waiting in line. All I can say is that the teacher in me made me do it.

Excerpt From
Stories from the Crowd
Scott Ballew
This material may be protected by copyright.