Kids and Cops
Everyday starts out the same way. I go to work and then I sit at my desk, maybe go over a couple of my lessons for the day, maybe grade some work, but usually just sit there and talk. A few minutes later the kids come in getting ready for class and I now know it is about time for class to start and about time for my starting work ritual.
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday my first class is the 1st graders. Young kids, maybe seven years old and I presume like all kids around the world that age, they like to play hide and go seek. So I go into class and the kids are all hiding. Now, I mind you there are not a lot of places to hide in the classroom that is about 8 feet by 8 feet but these kids have figured them all out. There is the staple hiding place of “under the desk” in the second row (also the back row), preferably in a corner (the only other option is the isle and that is way to easy). Then there is the “behind the door” trick, which of course is always good. And lastly, my favorite is the “under the teacher’s desk” which I can always count on a sneaky 7 year old to pull. Surprisingly enough though, day after day, week after week, month after month, these kids play this game with me. They hide, I find them and tickle the hell out of them (think of the “claw” to the stomach) and then we start class. I wonder everyday, “When are these kids going to get tired of this game?” but they never do.
So this day started out like the rest but something different happened. During the day three oddly suspicious policeman dressed in suits came by my school. One spoke in perfect English, “May I see your alien registration card please (green card).” I start looking through my wallet and look up with a halfway anxious look on my face and ask, “What are you going to do to me if I don’t have it? Take me to jail?” No answer. I look through my wallet again, “Seriously, what if I don’t have one? What happens?” No answer. I look through my wallet some more bite my lip and make a nervous click off of the room of my mouth and say, “I am not sure if I have one.” One of my coworkers freaks out and starts going off about how you are always suppose to carry one with you so I just smile a little bit and say, “I am just joking, here it is.” as a whip it out of my wallet where it was all along. Just having a little fun, that’s all.
One of my friends comes over that night though and tells me that three oddly suspicious policeman dressed in suits came by his school that day but that two of our friends (they also live in the same building as me) didn’t have their registration cards. One of the girls let hers expire, the other never got hers but had been here the whole time on a tourist visa. Well, they were pulled out of class and taken to jail right then. No kidding, I couldn’t believe it. Next, someone who couldn’t speak English very well told them that they were being “banished” from Korea. End result was after a day in the slammer they were bailed out. The girl who didn’t have hers in the first place went back to America the next day and the girl who let hers expire was allowed to stay and renew her ID.
Well, that is the way it goes I guess. Just an interesting little experience that I thought I would share. Hope everyone is well. As for me, I got a humidifier and some sleep and am feeling better these days.
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday my first class is the 1st graders. Young kids, maybe seven years old and I presume like all kids around the world that age, they like to play hide and go seek. So I go into class and the kids are all hiding. Now, I mind you there are not a lot of places to hide in the classroom that is about 8 feet by 8 feet but these kids have figured them all out. There is the staple hiding place of “under the desk” in the second row (also the back row), preferably in a corner (the only other option is the isle and that is way to easy). Then there is the “behind the door” trick, which of course is always good. And lastly, my favorite is the “under the teacher’s desk” which I can always count on a sneaky 7 year old to pull. Surprisingly enough though, day after day, week after week, month after month, these kids play this game with me. They hide, I find them and tickle the hell out of them (think of the “claw” to the stomach) and then we start class. I wonder everyday, “When are these kids going to get tired of this game?” but they never do.
So this day started out like the rest but something different happened. During the day three oddly suspicious policeman dressed in suits came by my school. One spoke in perfect English, “May I see your alien registration card please (green card).” I start looking through my wallet and look up with a halfway anxious look on my face and ask, “What are you going to do to me if I don’t have it? Take me to jail?” No answer. I look through my wallet again, “Seriously, what if I don’t have one? What happens?” No answer. I look through my wallet some more bite my lip and make a nervous click off of the room of my mouth and say, “I am not sure if I have one.” One of my coworkers freaks out and starts going off about how you are always suppose to carry one with you so I just smile a little bit and say, “I am just joking, here it is.” as a whip it out of my wallet where it was all along. Just having a little fun, that’s all.
One of my friends comes over that night though and tells me that three oddly suspicious policeman dressed in suits came by his school that day but that two of our friends (they also live in the same building as me) didn’t have their registration cards. One of the girls let hers expire, the other never got hers but had been here the whole time on a tourist visa. Well, they were pulled out of class and taken to jail right then. No kidding, I couldn’t believe it. Next, someone who couldn’t speak English very well told them that they were being “banished” from Korea. End result was after a day in the slammer they were bailed out. The girl who didn’t have hers in the first place went back to America the next day and the girl who let hers expire was allowed to stay and renew her ID.
Well, that is the way it goes I guess. Just an interesting little experience that I thought I would share. Hope everyone is well. As for me, I got a humidifier and some sleep and am feeling better these days.
posted by Jeff McDonald at 12:01 AM
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