The Magic of Good Teachers

It was one of those days. The weather was ice cold, but it had a beautiful blue sky. I had some business to do with a client and had hurried myself along a bit when I realized I was actually hungry and needed at least a good cup of coffee. I was one block away from Burs, which meant great food and excellent coffee. I told myself, “Whatayah got to lose?” I pulled into a parking slot close to the entrance and taking my notebook with me I walked in the door and did a quick scan of the restaurant . . . and froze.

Sitting at a booth by the window and looking out and up at the blue sky was Mary Anne, a girl I had known in high school . . . decades and decades and decades ago. I froze one foot away and said, “As I live and breathe . . . you are my friend from Clover Park decades and decades ago, aren’t you?” She looked me in the eye and nearly froze. I sensed fear and dread. I had never seen that in action before. It took her a good half minute which seemed like hours for her to lose the fear out of her face and attempt a smile.

“I’m sorry” was about all I could come up with. She grabbed my hand said “Please, sit down.” I looked her in the eye and said, “Are you really, okay?”

Over the next three hours we chatted and laughed and the most interesting part was about “Duke”, a fellow student we had both known. I never could stand him. He always wore expensive shirts that he bragged about by shop lifting. He had played in nearly every sport, but not as a star, and loved to talk about the girls he dated. Evidently, he had attempted sex with Mary Anne. Neither of us had followed “the braggart,” but the word was he had done well in sales, but had never set the world on fire.

Mary Anne was pretty much like the rest of the world. After high school, everyone has something better to do with their lives than worry about the past. Some go on to college, some join up with other avenues, and some dedicate themselves to a better world as an elementary school teacher.  Our son had an epiphany when she was his teacher. He learned to pay attention. You have our heartfelt thanks, Mary Anne.