So, earlier this week, I was subbing for a 6th grade science teacher at Meredith Middle School on the NW side of Des Moines.

There wasn't much to do that was difficult or challenging--just put the week's lesson plan/assignments up on the overhead for the kids to copy into their planners, show a half hour video on the diversity of animal life on the planet while they write down at least ten facts from it, then have them do a worksheet for the rest of the period. No really ill-behaved kids, just a few that had trouble settling down here and there. By fifth period, I could have turned off the sound and recited the whole narration myself, having had to sit through it four times already. Then one period of study hall, lunch and the last two periods free. I get a big cup of coffee, one of the current books I'm reading and I'm OK.

The final bell rings. I tidy up the teacher's desk, make sure all the notes and my report are in the right folder, put on my coat, grab the briefcase and head up to the school office to sign out. Halfway down the 6th grade hall, a little girl runs up to me, waving a folded sheet of red construction paper. "Hi!" she says, "This is for you!" smiles and runs off. I vaguely recall she was in one of the classes (no idea which) and that I think she volunteered to pass out the worksheets or something. On the front is a greeting in colored pencil "HAPPY HOLIDAYS!" and what I think is a wreath with a bow.

Then I open it up.

Now the cynic in me could easily say it's all a just a joke she and a friend thought up. The suspicious part of me whispers that it could look far, far from innocent to some. I'd prefer to think it's neither, because it had me leaving school today with a little smile on my face. Sometimes, you get pleasantly surprised in this job.

*last names deleted in the interests of privacy*