Well, this past week was the first week of school for the little folks out at Hillsboro Elementary school, in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee. These were some hard days for our young first grade grandson, Jake. This past Friday it seems that Jake got "clipped down." For those of you who don't know what that means, it means there was some "behavior infractions" during his day. They have a clipboard with a line, and if you have a good day you get "clipped up" over the line, and if your day is not so good, you get "clipped down" below the line.
I am not sure if Jake had ever bought his lunch or been in the lunch line enough times to understand the process. Apparently he was so excited when he saw all the food laid out before him cafeteria style, so hey, he went for it! Jake had gathered for himself a rather large supply of goodies, you know, like cookies, chocolate milk, pudding, all those things that appear good to a first grader. He had gathered up just about everything that came within eye site. Arms now full he reaches the end of the line where the cashier was. "What's that?" He thought, "Isn't this a free food line? The cashier lady told him she didn't think his mother would want him to have all that "junk" food and he would have to return some of it. A bit later he gets back in line and asked the cashier lady "Can I have some ice cream?" His mother lets the kids have ice cream only on Friday, and the cashier lady has a note making her aware of this arrangement. Well, bad news again for Jake boy. Wouldn't you know it, there's that same lady telling him that his mother wouldn't want him having ice cream today, only on Fridays.
How does this lady know everything my mother would want? Hey, what kind of place is this? One day they clip you down, the next day they wouldn't let a guy have food, and then no ice cream to boot. This first grade is not all it's cracked up to be. There has got to be some changes made. Now, I love the grit of this kid, he decides to get in line a third time, so here he is in front of the cashier lady once again. He asks, looking forlorn with his big blue eyes, "Well... can I at least have some t'hips?” (Meaning chips, he's a little dutchy.)
Later, the cashier lady called Jake's mother and told her, "I didn't have the heart to tell him he couldn't have chips." I hope this new week will be better for the little fella. They sure can make life hard for a guy just trying to get along in this world and eat properly. You ever had a couple days like that? Someone telling you what you can and can't have and then, on top of that, they tell you... no ice cream.
August 20, 2014
Keep on,
Larry Adamson