Junior High Flashback

While in Charleston, I stopped by the school where an old teacher of mine works. I had emailed her awhile back to let her know that some of the things she may not remember really impacted me in a positive way. She was the music teacher at my junior high school and there was a group called the All Stars. Kids tried out to be a part of it (singing and instruments) and it was an honor to be in it. One day, while in line to buy a snow cone in the cafeteria, she walked up behind me and asked if I would play the bass guitar for them. I was boggled. I hadn't even tried out. When I asked her about that today, she said I must have displayed something in her music or guitar class that made her pick me. I tried to tell her how it made me feel, but I couldn't really articulate it. As a kid, I was tall and thin and awkward and unsure. There was no clique I was part of, just a ragtag group of misfits that clung to each other for comfort. For her to pick me, to even see me, when I tried so hard to blend in with walls and corners, really stuck with me. There was no hidden musical talent that I had, but she never said I sucked, she never belittled me. She was a great teacher and I was so grateful to her. We spent the time I was there watching over the students she has now during her lunch duty. I am not sure she really remembers me, but she looks the same and was happy to see me nonetheless. She laughed so hard when I told her I still had the charts she made for me to remember where to put my fingers. Man, I am grateful for good, kind, wonderful teachers like her.