An innocent question, really.
on Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at 10:02pm
For those of you who do not know, I am a high school counselor. I have a very special group of students...you are thinking all of them are special. Oh, but mine are extra special. 95% of them are not on track to graduate. My job is to pull out my magic wand, sprinkle some fairy dust and somehow make it happen. Which, if they make it to their senior year, and that is a big IF, I am fairly successful. However, after 3 years, I am very happy to get to pass on my magic wand and fairy dust to the next counselor who is hired for my job. One of our other counselors is retiring so I am taking a regular alpha split of students next year. I cannot even begin to express how excited I am! Now to the good part.
Last week, I encountered a first. I asked a very innocent question...one that I ask at least once a day.
"What are your plans after high school?"
This gives me all kinds of information. However, the mom of the girl I posed the question to got very upset and informed me that we are not looking that far in advance. We are going to take one day at a time. So, that's where this conversation started. The girl did answer though. I have never in my life heard a response like this one before and I've heard some good ones. You ready?
"I'm going to be a professional piercer at Hellbent Tattoo."
Somehow, I kept my mouth closed, didn't crack a smile or let on that I was laughing inside. Not that there is anything wrong with being a professional piercer. Someone has to do it but this girl was dead serious. She's a freshman and has multiple face piercings already. I just had never gotten this before. I'm used to professional athlete, rapper, professional drug dealer (yes, I've heard that), pimp...You know, the usual.
So, once we got past that mom asked me a question. I should go ahead and mention that she has a thick accent. We were now talking about high school dual credit classes and other course options. So, the question was asked, "When can [student's name] take accuplacer?" (College readiness exam for high school dual credit courses.) That's a very innocent and benign question except I heard, "When can she take accupunture?" Keep in mind, I had already upset mom. So, I explained that we do not offer accuptuncture as a course. Now, the student who I'm sure was really laughing hard at me explained that her mom said accuplacer. The awkwardness that followed monumental...
It's no wonder my last pay check was only 40 cents.
Last week, I encountered a first. I asked a very innocent question...one that I ask at least once a day.
"What are your plans after high school?"
This gives me all kinds of information. However, the mom of the girl I posed the question to got very upset and informed me that we are not looking that far in advance. We are going to take one day at a time. So, that's where this conversation started. The girl did answer though. I have never in my life heard a response like this one before and I've heard some good ones. You ready?
"I'm going to be a professional piercer at Hellbent Tattoo."
Somehow, I kept my mouth closed, didn't crack a smile or let on that I was laughing inside. Not that there is anything wrong with being a professional piercer. Someone has to do it but this girl was dead serious. She's a freshman and has multiple face piercings already. I just had never gotten this before. I'm used to professional athlete, rapper, professional drug dealer (yes, I've heard that), pimp...You know, the usual.
So, once we got past that mom asked me a question. I should go ahead and mention that she has a thick accent. We were now talking about high school dual credit classes and other course options. So, the question was asked, "When can [student's name] take accuplacer?" (College readiness exam for high school dual credit courses.) That's a very innocent and benign question except I heard, "When can she take accupunture?" Keep in mind, I had already upset mom. So, I explained that we do not offer accuptuncture as a course. Now, the student who I'm sure was really laughing hard at me explained that her mom said accuplacer. The awkwardness that followed monumental...
It's no wonder my last pay check was only 40 cents.
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