1. Noticing Visitors
Ben was there, because he spends the day with the fourth graders on Thursdays and Fridays. I was there, because Mr. Roth asked for some help with the science stations.
The kids didn’t see us at first when they came in. There were busy putting notebooks away and shuffling backpacks and (some of them) unwrapping snacks. Then a couple of them looked over to where we were standing.
“Ben!” they shouted.
And before their voices faded away they noticed that I was there, too, “David!”
2. I’m Just Sayin’
We got the kids thru each of the three science stations. They put food coloring in water. They made slime. They made some kind of silly putty. And by the time they were done, the stations were trashed.
The rolled-out paper on the tables was wet. There were blotches of food coloring everywhere. I stood by my table where I had been cleaning as we went (because I’m such a tidy kind of guy) and looked over at the other tables.
“Ahem,” I announced. “Oh, folks!” I said as loud as my weak voice would carry.
Ben and Mr. Roth and most of the kids looked over at me.
“I just want to point out the tables. And which is the neatest.”
I think I heard Ben mutter something about how messy is how it’s supposed to be.
“I’m just sayin’” I said.
There was a mom behind me who had just come in. She laughed.
3. Famous Father
“Mom!” one of the boys said as he ran up and hugged her.
I turned and introduced myself.
“I’m David Hasan,” I said.
“You’re a parent?”
“I am,” I said, pointing to Ben. He smiled.
“Oh…,” she said. “You’re the famous father!”