SO I WAS PRINCIPAL FOR A DAY

Mr. Powell would have been proud, I feel certain. He was not only my next door neighbor when I was a kid; he was my school principal. Yesterday I was honorary elementary school principal at Lindbergh. How did it go? Well let me tell ya.

First, I noted no special parking spot for me. Bummer. When I got out of my car I saw a neighbor lady sitting in hers so, friendly me, I tapped on her window. I noted her sheepishness as she explained she had to run her little boy over to an awaiting bus headed for another school. As we continued to talk I noticed she was wearing her pajamas. Ah, that explains the sheepishness. I kept talking. As I signed off to head into my assignment I said, "nice outfit". I'm sure she was so pleased I noticed.

So I entered the school and was escorted briefly to a few classrooms by nice Mrs. Nance. A problem arose which needed her attention so I made myself at home by visiting every teacher and her classroom. I handed out raises to each teacher and told them all to take off at 2:00 with not a worry as to what would happen to the kids. Too, I told the teachers it would be all right to wear jeans today (Mrs. Nance isn't such a fan of Jeans Days.) I am pretty sure they wanted to crown me king! Mrs. Nance most certainly wanted to crown me.

At 11:20 I observed a fine party-like occasion: kindergartners in the cafeteria for lunch. I noticed the tables were full of students except for one lone boy sitting by himself. I sauntered over to sit with him and talk.....kinderlingo. Before long others were leaving their tables and carrying their food rather dangerously to sit at our table. Oh we talked big stuff. Soon there were no more seats but kids were standing holding their plates and eating.

Soon Mrs. Nance drove me to the schools' service center for lunch prepared for all of the "principals for the day" throughout Tulsa. I knew it was for all of us, but I told Mrs. Nance I had figured the purpose of the special lunch. I told her I figured it was to give me an award honoring me for being such a wonderful and heroic man in the community. She was surprised I had put such a glowing scenario together.

On our way back (and I didn't get the award as I told Mrs. Nance I had just text messaged the Superintendent telling him not to bring me up front as I didn't want the others to feel neglected) I told her that when I was a school kid I wasn't really mean or bratty, but I was the leader of disruption in class. Her response? "Well, I wonder why I'm not surprised." Hmmmm, she had me figured out without me even telling the story.

I was Principal for a Day. The teachers didn't get the raises. Nor did they get to take off early. However, I ran back by the school at noon today to see some of the kids at lunch and guess what....the teachers were wearing jeans.....and giving me high fives!