A Night at the Movies

I don't know if anyone will appreciate this, but I need to write it down for me. Feel free to read over my shoulder.

Tonight was such a fun and funny night. I laughed so much tonight.

Tonight was a girls night out with Erin and Wendy. (Remember, Wendy is my roommate and a 1st grade teacher at school, Erin is my best friend here and a 3rd grade teacher at school) and we decided that we'd go see Pink Panther tonight. Erin made a crack about seeing Mike (our Sunday school teacher/associate pastor) and Cathy, seeing that the last 3 times we've gone to the movies, they are coming in right after us, usually to see the same movie. We are a group of 20somethings and they are 55+. Hilarious.

As we are walking, I saw one of my 8th graders and his sister, which was my 8th grader last year. Then, in the automated ticket line, I see an 8th grader, a 7th grader, three 5th graders and a 2nd grader and a mom. The 2nd and 5th graders are soo pumped to see me. We talk for a little bit and laugh, then they head off to buy snacks.

Dialogue as follows:
8th Grade boy: Ms. Peffer, what are you seeing?
Me: Pink Panther.
8th: Noo!! Really?
8th Grader's mom: Oh yah? So you'll keep an eye on them? ;-)
Me: Nooo! It's after hours. I'm not responsible for any of them.

(I purchase ticket)

Same 8th Grader returns to me: Ms. Peffer, were you serious about seeing Pink Panther?
Me: Yes, see? (show ticket stub)
8th: Man! I gotta tell 7th grade boy! Hey! She is! She's wasn't kidding!

Then I see 6th grader and her dad walk in, laugh and buy tickets, then go back out. Erin goes and gets seats before we are stuck near the kids. I see my favorite 8th grade girl and yell down to her. HEY!!!! She waves with embarrassment. :-) Mission accomplished.

We sit and then 5th graders and 2nd grader come and sit right behind us. I loved it. Their comments and laughs were priceless. They made the movie 3x as funny with their crazy comments.

A guy is lying on the floor and 5th grader asks: what? they aren't even going to help him up?
Me,turning around: S, he's dead!
S: Ohhhhh.......I thought he was asleep!
D: Look at that horrible dress!
J: (missed a line about foreplay, everyone is laughing) What did he say?
I love it when they don't get jokes. It's great.

We are leaving the theater and I see my newest 8th grader and he doesn't look at me, yet he's saw me.
Me: Hey A!
A: DON'T say anything!!!! (he said this in such a way that he was embarrassed but liked it enough to make a joke out of it.)
Me: oh um....so sorry.... and put my hand at the side of my face so he can't see me.

We walk outside and there's a posse of 7th and 8th graders. There's at least 13 of them. They all look and act so funny, giving little weird waves and small comments. We laughed and laughed and walked over to get icecream. About 5 mins later, as our backs are turned to the door, Erin sees the posse coming to the shop. They see us, double over in laughter/agony, point and then refuse to come in because we are in there. Again, we errupt with laughter.


There were so many great things that I gathered from this experience.

1. I am everyone of those kids' teacher. I knew them all. Wendy and Erin don't know them, but I have some sort of connection with each one of them.
2. I LOVED seeing how awkward and embarrassed they were as middle schoolers seeing their teacher in public.
3. I think it's sooo funny that they acted as if we were old and decrepit and it would be weird to see their teachers at a movie theater.
4. It was a bunch of kids, hanging out together, from the same Christian school. Sometimes kids just endure their Christian school friends until they can hang out with their other friends. This was a good group of kids seeing a decent movie.
5. They wouldn't DARE eat ice cream at the same place as us, even AFTER we saw them come and then walk away.
6. I truly do love them. I loved seeing them tonight.
7. They are going to talk about this for a week. And....some might not ever forget it. :-)
   

As I replayed all of these events in my head on the way home, I just kept smiling.

I love being a teacher.