Random Memory

Just before 5th grade began, we had an orientation at school where parents and students were invited to come meet the teachers for the next year.  It must have been on a bridge night, because my dad went with me, and my mom didn't come.  Meeting new people and being social and being surrounded by 5th graders was never really my dad's scene...but the night did produce what is perhaps my all-time favorite memory of my father from my childhood.

We had a student teacher in Ms. Boyer's social studies class.  She was there that night, meeting and greeting parents.  She was not the most attractive lady in the world, and I wonder if that colored my dad's interpretation of her name.  When Miss Amos introduced herself to him, he started giggling.  A lot.  I knew he'd misunderstood her, but I didn't correct him, because seeing my dad giggle is a rare and precious thing.

When we saw Mom at home after the orientation, he was still giggling as he told her that I was going to have a teacher named Miss Anus -- and that he thought the name suited her quite nicely.  Dad was kind of a mean girl that night.  Miss Amos was a really nice teacher, and I hope she went on to have a great teaching career, and married a guy with a last name like Smith...