AGrandfather'sTouch
佚名/Anonymous
Whatdayisittoday?IsitTuesdayorThursday?Thisthoughtracedthroughhermindasshesatbackwithherstudentsgoingoverthelessonthatneverseemedtoend.Didn』tIjustdothisyesterday?Orwasitayearago?Hell,everythingseemedtojumbletogetheranymore.「MissSmith,canIgotothebathroom?」Jorgeasked,asheproceededtojumpfromonefoottoanother,holdinghimself.HowmanytimeshaveIheardthis?Shewonderedassheabruptlysaid「Yes」andwatchedasheracedoutoftheroom.
Sittingatthetableshegazedatherstudentswhilethinkingofwhatshewoulddoafterwork.MaybeI』llgotothegymorstopatthemarketforsomethingtoeattonight.Mechanicallyshecontinuedwithherlessonontheshortletter「a」withherstudents.「Theletter『a』makeswhatsound?」「a,a,a,」thestudentssangtogethergoingthroughtheemptymotions.Theclockdraggedawaytheminutesteasingherwiththetediousnessoftheday.
Won』titend?Shethoughtasthephonerangoutitsmorsecodeforherroom.Sighingshestoodupandwalkedthroughthemazeofstudentsdeskstogettothephone.Pickingupthereceivertheothervoiceseemedahundredmilesaway.Oh,howIwishIwereanywherebuthere.HermindwanderedtothehotexoticbeachofCabo,Mexico,whereshehadspentherlastsummerbreak.Shestillrememberedthecoolbreezesthatcaressedherskinasshelayonthegrittysand.
「MissSmith,didyouhearme?」thesecretaryannoyinglyaskedher.「Oh,sorry.Whatdidyousay?」「CanyousendCarlatotheoffice?」thesecretaryimpatientlyasked.「Oh,ofcourse,」sherepliedasshehungupthephone.SheturnedfromthephoneandyelledoutCarla』sname.Carla,whowasoneofthemanywhoalwaysseemedsoneedythatwereinherclassthisyear.Carlalookedupfromherdesk,herhairhanginglikeamatteddisplaceddoll.HerfacewaslinedwithdirtthatgavehertheappearanceofoneofthosemunchkinsfromtheWizardofOz.「Youneedtogototheoffice,」shesaidwhileCarlaslowlyrosefromherdesk.「WhydoIhavetogo?」whinedCarla.「It』sbetweenyouandtheoffice—justgoup,」shehastilyturnedherbackasCarlawalkedoutoftheroom.Likehavingfreeschooluniformsistheanswer.ItwouldbeniceifjustoncesomeonecalledsayingsomethingniceorthankingmeforalltheendlesscrapIhavetodealwith.Withasighshewalkedbacktoherotherstudentswhowereclusteredatthebacktablepatientlywaitingherreturn.
Therestoftheafternoonblurredintoonelongendlessrepetition.Finallythebellrangasarelief.Assheledherstudentsoutthedoortheywalkedbehindherasbabychicksreturningtotheirfold.Shenoticedthattheirmotherhenscluckedtothembehindtheirongate.Assheproceededtowalkdownthecorridor,theair,whichrosewiththemusicaltingleofSpanishcoloringeverythingthattouchedit,greetedher.Shewatchedwithatouchofenvyasthechildrenlefthertoreturntothosehomesthatprobablywerefilledwithlaughterandwarmthwhileshewouldonceagainreturntothesameendlessmarchofboredom.