The Journey of Gypsy Rhapsody and Minuet in G: THE DIARY OF A RETIRED (?) SUBSTITUTE TEACHER

Minuet in G

(a Argosy (Airstream) living the good life in the warm climate of South Louisiana)

Good Afternoon, Everybody...

So sorry I've not written in a while.

Vannie has been substitute teaching while we are

in Lafayette, and she was too pooped in the evening

to get out the computer.

Maybe things will

get a little better, since her last day

to teach was Monday, Feb. 6.

Every afternoon after a day teaching,

she would come home with the best stories.

I'm going to bless you with a few of them.

All good.!!!

Yellow, pink, violet, purple...

these colors welcomed Vannie every morning

as she started out on her subbing adventure.

She waved goodby and headed to the Burger King,

which was on her route to school,

for breakfast before starting her day.

A favorite lesson of Vannie's is dissecting a sheep's eye.
Truly, an "eye-opening" experience.!!!

First comes the demonstration...

then the students have their own

"hands-on" experience...

Watching is one thing, but doing it yourself makes it sink in.

Vannie's friend and partner was Brenda Petro.

She watched along with the students for a few days,

then she said, "I'm ready to do this myself...scalpel, please."

In conjunction with the eye dissecting lesson, V and D's

friend, David Forcheux, came to class for a visit.

David has been blind since childhood. He shared with

the students his life as a blind person.

The students asked question, and David

patiently answered each one.

David brought along his braille machine. He made

bookmarks for all the students. They had a ball

deciphering the message on each bookmark by using

a braille alphabet chart.

"A Writing Marathon"

Vannie said that Brenda told her all about the writing marathon,

but until it actually happened, Vannie had no idea how much fun this would be.

After arriving at school, the students walked to the nearest city bus stop.

They rode the bus downtown and spent the day writing...lots of writing.

The day begins with a brainstorming activity.

Words...words...and more words...

Each student and teacher picks four words that

will be integrated into each of their writing exercises.

Then they will begin to peruse the city for possible writing spots.

When one is decided upon, they will write for ten minutes...

remembering to use their "four words".

They are writing for themselves, not anyone else.

When stories are shared, a simple "thank you" is the

response of the listeners.

Nettie McDonalds, writing marathon extraordinaire,

met us downtown on the first day of this journey

and started us off on the right foot. Nettie is a

retired teacher and had participated in a similar

marathon in New Orleans. She had organized many

of the marathons for students while teaching.

Vannie said it was a treat to have her with the group.

The Lafayette Hardware Store

Vannie's four words...natural beauty freedom peaceful

Her writing...

"The smell hit me in the face when I entered into the Lafayette Hardware Store. What was it? It was a peaceful smell...if smells can be peaceful. Was it the smells of bygone days...days of long ago when the hardware store was filled with pots and pans and hammers and nails and dishes. Oh my goodness! The beauty of the dishes. I remember the hardware store back home had so many pretty dishes. The freedom of the artists was always most evident...flowers and birds and butterflies. Guess that was what the ladies wanted in those days. Now the hardware store housed an architect firm. There are lots of little nooks and crannies with ladies and gentlemen working inside...doing what was natural to them...design, draw, create. The hardware store has changed...but, guess what, the smells and memories still linger."

The Children's Museum

looming emotions compromise askew

"It was the flamingos that caught my eye. They were looming over in a dusty corner...all askew, stuffed in a big shopping basket. I can just imagine their conversation. "Ouch...stop...you are stepping on my head...move over...I can't breathe...I think my leg is broken" Their emotions are all over the place. They might be waiting for a movie role. I remember in the movie, Gnomeo and Juliet, there were two flamingos in love. I loved that movie. It was about that writer of long ago...William Shakespeare. He never compromised with his pen. "The pen is mightier than the sword." And here I am writing...putting words and thoughts down to be read by people years from now...just like Shakespeare. "To be or not to be, that is the question". "Double, double, toil and trouble, fire burns and cauldron bubbles."

Amazing

The Transportation Center

looming emotions compromise askew

"My emotions are askew. The train tracks are on my right. The old depot is on my left. The train is looming in the distance...I think. I don't hear it yet, but I am expecting to any minute. So many people have passed through those heavy wooden doors excited about boarding the train. A new adventure or maybe an old one. There is a man sitting on a bench. He is talking on his phone.

"My mother will not give me anymore money. If someone would give me a thousand dollars, I would spend it. Yeah...Yeah...OK...that's the thing I'm worried about. If you are from California, you don't get it. Right...right...yeah...I know. I eat so much. Hey, dude, Don't eat so much. I eat soooo much. Right...I like to eat. Yeah...I know. I love my pork 'n beans. Oh God. I love you so much. No, I'm scared. I'm scared when I see my brother, he will beat me up. Negative...Negative. I'll see my mom, but my brother is the man of the house. right...We are the best of friends. Yeah...Right...He hates me. I don't know. He told me he hates me."

Did I compromise my writing to record this conversation...even though the conversation was one-sided? I don't think so. In fact I think this is what Ernest Hemingway would do...sit around in bars and record what people were saying. Then he would write a whole book evolving around those conversations. I'm no Ernest Hemingway, but I'm lovin' this writing thing.