PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

We found out the author of a book in which a friend of ours is mentioned

about a tragedy he was involved in over 50 years ago…

was coming to talk about his book…and we really wanted to go!

But we had tickets to see our favorite comedian that same evening…

Bought months ago our tickets were waiting in cyberspace…somewhere.

when I tried to retrieve them, however, our tickets were not there.

After spending two hours on the phone with Janella from Stub Hub

(if you’ve ever done this you know it never gets old!!)

Janella determined the tickets we had purchased months ago

to someone else had been sold.

Stub Hub reimbursed us for our tickets and after giving Deborah the news

we both smiled and gave each other a look….

and now three-hundred dollars richer…we headed off to listen 

to the author talk about his book.

Many people turned out…which was wonderful to see…

Our friend was there as well as other people affected by this tragedy.

After listening to their story in a room full of our friends

and new people we were happy to meet…

unwilling to allow the evening to end…we all went out to eat.

It was a lovely evening…even though I know….

the loveliness grew out of a tragedy that happened over 50 years ago.

And though our dreams of seeing our favorite comedian abruptly came to an end

we were more than happy spending the evening surrounded by old and some new friends.

As I say their story is a tragic but compelling one…

and since it’s not for me to tell

If you want to know what happened that night…

I suggest…you buy the book as well.

When I moved my Autistic class from a center to Oscar Middle

It was a brand new school…everything…was brand new…

It was the first time in our county Autistic students would be in a regular school…

and many wondered how we would do.

As I entered my brand new school and stepped into my brand new room

I was excited to show everyone how my students through their Autism could bloom.

And now…long after my time at Osceola Middle was done…

I like to think we all learned a lot…and along the way we had some fun.

Our daughter, Ali, attended Osceola Middle at the same time…it was nice to have her near

and she was one of the first students in the school to come into my class and volunteer.

Skip ahead a few years and we discover something very cool….

Ali, now a teacher, is teaching at Osceola Middle School.

Skip ahead to today and Ali has just become Osceola Middle’s behavior therapist…

And here is where Fate has provided a beautiful little twist.

The office they’ve designated for Ali is none other than my old room….

The same place I watched myself and some of my students bloom.

Of all the rooms in the school to which she could have been assigned….

They chose the one in which I left some energy and memories behind…

Starting a new job is never easy as you struggle to find your way…

and I like to think it’s the teaching Gods telling Ali everything will be okay.

As parents we can’t always be next to our children as they tackle new adventures

travel down new roads…try to scale and climb new hills

But the fact that Ali is now in my old room…

in a way…I guess I will.