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The elevator

[2008年11月09日(日) ]

The elevator


Memories seem to revive (1 * 2) as it get colder.
Or ... as people get older???

I won’t deny I am immune to aging,
and ― as proof ― recount one of my memories,
something that happened at the beginning of this year.

I teach at a junior high and high school.
That building has 9 floors and 4 elevators.
The higher you go, the older the students.

One day,
I was on my way to teaching an English composition class
to 6th graders (=3rd year of high school)
with a Japanese teacher in his fifties.
We used the elevator.

A bunch of high school girls,
crammed like canned sardines,
took the same elevator,
to one of the upper floors.

One of them was clearly wearing make-up.
To tell the truth,
I don’t really care,
... as long as they study.
Neither does the other (Japanese) teacher.
(Let’s call him “Mr. K”.)

Somehow,
that very day,
I had the impression
that Mr. K was going to say something.
I won’t say
he was going to complain,
or make a scene ,
but at least give his opinion
on “proper behavior at school ”.

This particular girl ,
however,
was a split second faster.
She said (in Japanese):

“Don’t stare at me like that
just because you think I’m pretty!”


　　　　　　

　　　　　　　OMG! 　　　 　　　　　　OMGって？
Mr. K was ― read “we were” ― so surprised ,
amazed,
astonished,
astounded,
startled,
speechless,
that he (we) couldn’t even give a decent reply
before she got out of the elevator
on a different floor.

Hardly had the elevator doors closed
before both of us burst out in laughter.

We enjoyed a fantastic class ― with other students.

Facing defeat has never been more fun!