I'm not a kid, really!

Before we start, let me say that in this episode, I was 27 years old. I am around 5 ft 5 in tall and weighed around 170 at the time. I had very short brown hair, and while not in a suit, was dressed in nice clothes.

Ok, here's the scene. Last spring, our 4th, 5th, and 6th graders got to go on a 4-H field trip to Frankfort. Yes, it's a great trip. Anyway, on the trip, we got to see the Governor's Mansion and the Capitol Buidling. It's at the Capitol Building where our misadventure takes place.

At the Capitol, what they do is, firstly, line up all your kids and teachers and take a picture to send you a zillion of later. Done and good. Then our Representative Robin Webb comes over and shakes everyone's hand. We can't open a hotdog stand without having Mrs. Webb coming over to shake hands. It's all good.

Anyway, then a little tour guide lady, I didn't get her name, comes over and says, "Ok, you adults go in and go through the metal detectors, and I'm gonna have a talk with these kids."

Here's the misadventure part. Like the others, I get up and trudge off (I'm in the back of the line. I don't like people behind me, makes me paranoid) toward the doors with the metal detectors. From behind me, I hear.....

"I said that's for the adults. You stay here."

I turn to see who the offender is so that I may yell at them. The problem is that the tour guide is staring AT ME.

I say, "I know. I'm going, just like you said."

She responds, "Thats for the adults. You stay here."

And we stare at each other, not comprehending what the other wants. From behind me, I do hear parental chaperones, teachers, and even some kids from the side cracking up.

Finally, another teacher (the only other one on the trip) comes over laughing her head off and explains to the lady that I am indeed a teacher. Now the laughter from behind is considerably louder, to the point people who aren't with us are cracking up.

The tour guide stares for a moment, then says, "He is not!" Why let logic intrude on her perceptions? In the ensuing discussion, it is revealed that I'm older than she is.

I still get comments from teachers, kids, parents, and even our janitor won't let it go. Everytime I pass him in the hallway with a group of kids, he tells me to get in line.

When does gray hair set in?

Background

Let me start this blog off by setting the stage for you. I work at a very, very small school. In our entire building, we have less than 100 Pre-k to 6th graders. Our school is WAY back in the sticks and is surrounded by a community of very lovable but redneckish folk.

One day a few years ago, the road up our hill had iced over so bad that buses couldn't go up it. So we (the teachers) sat and chatted in the lunchroom for 2 hours til the ice thawed enough to be scraped.

We have 6 teachers, I'm the homeroom for the 5th and 6th grade (yes, together, still usually under 20 kids). We rotate subjects, so I do all the science and have 3 snakes and a degu (look it up) in the room that the kids adore, far more than they like me.