Overheard at Work, Vol. CIV

Over the course of the year, I'd say I run maybe one field trip a season, totaling up to four a year, give or take something really special. Usually, these are huge trips, and I'm mostly coordinating permission slips, staff to help chaperone, and schedules for the bus to and from the club.

This summer, I've been running a special program Wednesday evenings and taken a group of teens around the city to various arts and culture events. And it has been wonderful and super intense.

This week, I led fifteen teens to the Institute of Contemporary Art. An hour on three modes of transportation at rush hour was enough for me to be ready to call it a night. But seeing my kids so excited to engage in the artwork there was worth the trip.

Tonight, I led four teens to Shakespeare in the Commons. We packed food and laid out sheets and killed time playing Hangman and Two Truths and a Lie and 20 Questions, and it was beautiful and magical.

It's been an intense summer--very busy, early days, lots of new kids and exciting things to do and see.

I have one more day of work and then I'm on vacation for a week, and I cannot wait.

But when I get to sit back and think about moments like tonight, when the sun was peeking behind a cloud and the weather was just perfect and I was sitting with a group of young women, giggling at our silly answers to even sillier games, sharing Kit Kats and Reese's Pieces, I felt pretty lucky to do what I do.

Me, during a game of 20 Questions, to a 7 year old: Do you have a yes or no question?
7 year old boy: Yes!
Me: What's your question?
Boy: Does she wear famous clothes?
Me: Yes.
Boy: Yes! Famous people always wear famous clothes. I knew it!

Colleague A: Humans need to come with users manuals.

#1 9 year old boy: 3rd is the one with the hairy chest. That means I'm a MAN.

#2 9 year old boy: Do you know what leukemia is?
Me: Yes.
Boy: What is it?
Me: It's a blood disease.
Boy: No, it's butt cancer. My dad says it's butt cancer.

13 year old girl: Macadamia nuts are sexy.

Colleague B: I'm old.
7 year old boy: You're not old! You're just handsome!