…really folks, don’t start with me on these.

Recently it seems, I’m wearing a “Please Bring UP A Topic That Will Piss Me Off!” sign.

And it usually happens at my favorite place, The Waffle House.

Last week, I was off one day, well actually several.  Seems there’s a pleortha of good health at the school, and I wasn’t needed.  While enjoying my crossword and Redneck Latte, one gentleman decided to start a conversation.

Really, it wasn’t necessary.

He –  ”Aren’t you a teacher?  Why aren’t you in school today?

Me –  ”…brief explanation of my work status…”

He –  ”Well, it must be nice to work nine months a year and get paid for 12.”

Me – OH, no you did-ent!

I was sure after my civil, controlled, and courteous come-back, he’d cease his critical queue of queries.

But alas, he went on.

He – “Well, with the $97 million short fall coming in the next budget, they’re gonna have to cut some things out.”

Me – “Probably.”  (-keeps it short, head down, inks in an answer to a question – takes a sip of coffee. And it’s $97 million over the next two budgets, but I didn’t bother to correct him…really, waste of time and all.)

He – “They oughta start with field trips.  I mean, what do they take kids on those for anyway?  We never went on any.”

Me – (Wondering in which hayseed school district he was mis-educated, but not wanting to further the festivities.)

Dude, are you nuts!

Thinking my choice of words, which were near to getting me “Kid Rocked” from the Casa De Waffle, would again cause him to stop, I continued with the crossword and went back into the “head down” mode.

Again, he decided to opine.

He – “We used to take our lunch to school, they could cut out all that fat stuff they feed the kids for free, that’d save some money.”

Me – Ok, man, I'm done!

So, to re-cap:  It’s 10 months, and we get paid for 10 over 12 months.  I’m sure the math was too tough for him.   We get 10 months of pay but it is

s -t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d  o-u-t

over 12 month, just in case that isn’t clear.

Field Trips teach.  As a child we went to Memorial Hall in Dayton to hear the  symphony, the Museum of Science and Natural History, and The Miamisburg Mound to name a few. 

The Arts, Science, and History.  See we learned something. 

And school lunch isn’t free, unless your family qualifies.  And it’s a federal program, the last vestige of the New Deal.  So, the county gets reimbursed for the meals provided to all students, even the free ones.  As to the adults that eat there, where else can  you get a nutritionally balanced meal for $3.00?  Oh, yeah, if it isn’t balanced, it’s your own fault.  Choose wisely!

As to Mr. Opinon, that’s good advice for you too.  Choose wisely! 

I’m not always nice!

Thank goodness he didn’t bring UP  ”No Child Left Behind” .

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