Great practice

It was hot today at practice, so a few kids took off their shirts, including Kendall, who was pitching.

Student 1: "Dag, boy, put your shirt back on. I can see your ribs, yo!"

Student 2: "You look like you're from Africa! I feel like I should throw 30 cents a day at you for the next month just so you can eat!"

Student 1: "Yeah, did you have to kill an elephant as your rite of passage in your village?"

Student 3: "Naw, I had to drill your mom, though. From behind."

Student 1: "Are you saying my mom looks like an elephant?"

Student 3 makes a noise like an elephant and laughs and laughs and laughs. Everyone does.

(Yup, I definitely get a different earful from these kids out on the athletic field than I do in the classroom.)

***

Today's practice was the funnest and funniest of the season. It's a good reminder that I should keep a small, small team of 15 next year and not my usual 22. Everyone had something to do and everyone was happy. I also think I have found a keystone combination at second base that is going to work very well. Too bad we just have two games left. For some reason, I was putting my two best players at catcher and left field (and pitcher). I'm putting them now at SS and 2B. The two have great chemistry. Now I just have to find another catcher. I've got one for tomorrow, but he's graduating and heading to Duke next year.

Here I am talking about next year. I guess I'm coming back after all.

So the day ended great, despite it being a classroom day from hell. There was a fire set in the cafeteria, and we were all evacuated for 80 minutes. It was sort of nice being outside in the beautiful weather, but we were all expecting to be let go, but they sent us back in the building after the fire fights blew all the smoke out with a gigantic fan. So I got the kids that were left and didn't sneak off to go home and started taking our big unit test. Then there was another fire set in the two boys' bathrooms during 6th period. The fire bells had not been reset so the building was only half evacuated by the teachers who knew what was going on. It was a ridiculous, embarassing day, and one not handled well by the people in power. I almost cancelled practice because of the crazy day, but decided against it - the best baseball decision I'd made in weeks. The practice has revived my spirits and made me excited about finishing off the year strong.