When I first met Merry Mel...... I already had heard much about her.
Over the summer, the rumors had come to me via mobile phone-
1. There was a teacher that knows Cantankerous Connie coming to our school!
2. She's known throughout the county (and state, for that matter) as a being a teacher who knows how to pull her scores (which usually means that they teach to the test and manipulate children with fear)
3. Mr. Collins has been trying to get her to come to our school for years (which obviously means she's evil).
Which is why, then, I was so surprised when I met her.
The truth about Merry Mel is.... she's more "human" than half our staff put together. She's got a lot of problems, a lot of challenges, and she's got a lot of life experiences (not all successes) to speak of. Yet she enjoys throwing on a big smile and making light of all of it (I can relate).
The first few days back in Florida after my summer trip, we bonded at a time I needed someone to bond with (see my very first post in this blog regarding my coming out to my mother via voice mail). I found out that she was a horrible packrat, and her "plan to organize" her new classroom is about as off-the-wall as they come.
But I stayed with her, as she started putting together her classroom.
10 p.m. one night.
11 p.m. the next night.
12 a.m. our last night there.
I had no problem standing next to her throughout all of this. She was a friend whom I knew I could later count on.
But Mel, being the person she is, wanted to thank me in more ways than just saying it. So she went online and bought us tickets to see one of my favorite comedians, who was coming to a performing arts center just a half hour away!
For over two months we waited anxiously, and finally a week and a half ago, the two of us were drinking beers in front of the center (classy) one fine night.
We went up and took our seats, and finally Kathy came out and started up her routine.
As we listened to Kathy Griffin bash EVERYONE we laughed and laughed.
And laughed some more.
I laughed until I was almost crying. I admired how Kathy says everything we're all thinking, but too afraid to say. I enjoy her.
At the end of the night, we finished up by heading to Sonic, and eating ice cream and yammering on and on about this and that (which is what we do best), and laughing (which we do as equally well).
I truly believe that our night of laughter and fun happened for a reason. During my travels for my grandfather's funeral, I found myself looking back upon that carefree night, not even a week old, wishing I was back in the auditorium laughing with Mel.
It is nights like these that we should truly be experiencing more.
I vow to begin.
