The Greatest Gift of All

For whatever reason, our building is infested with various endoskeletal creatures. The ELD teachers' rooms are especially infested, and they've learned, relatively quickly, that the women on the floor are the ones to call. The ones who don't mind bugs. The ones who can kill them with one pretty squish of the high heel. The men? Well, they go a bit white in the face and scream girlishly from the edges of their desks, bodies crouched and shaking.

I only exaggerate a little.

For some reason, however, two of the teachers have decided that I like bugs. Because three times now, I've gotten them as gifts. Now, the first, granted, was quite impressive-- a bright iridescent green beetle about an inch in diameter. He was cool. I put him in a little plastic container and placed him on the desk of Mr. X who, like some of my girly-girls, panic at the sight of any creature with more than four legs. (He, in turn, tried to scare my girl Monica with it by placing it either on or extremely close to her... but she just looked at it and said "Cool"... cus she's my girl. :) )

But then this week? I got a grasshopper. And then a cricket. The kids bring them to me with a smile, cupped hands. The transfer. And oh, lovely. Another insect to put in my room. Thank you. Let's think positively.... Now we can have an insect symphony. And crickets are good luck.

The other good thing about handling insects on a near-daily basis? I don't mind holding their squirming bodies so much anymore. In fact, just the other day, I was in the cafeteria when a cricket scampered across the floor in front of me. Jaleeza, one of my 8th grade girls, saw it and started screaming. (And if you know Jaleeza, you know that this is not pleasant--even her normal speaking voice is decibels above that of a jet engine taking off....)

"Oh my GOD what IS that THING?!" she shrieked.
"It's just a cricket," another girl replied, annoyed, as she was half squished by Jaleeza's squirming, terrified body.

I just grinned. And picked up the cricket. And started walking towards her.
"You want to get a closer look, Jaleeza?"

Oh, the screaming. And the laughter. Some days I just crack myself up. That ability? The greatest gift of all.