It's Not That Serious!

Sometimes I have stories that I don't think are "blog-worthy".  Then when I'm shooting the breeze with co-workers and friends, they say..."You should soooo post that! That's hilarious!"  Today's Daley Laugh is one of those stories.  So...here it goes!

The school I work at was collecting canned goods for Thanksgiving to send to the community food bank. To increase the amount of canned goods we collect, our principal creates a little healthy competition.  Usually the class who collects the most canned goods wins a pizza party.  So you know the competition is heavy in the building.  Sometimes the teachers go at it and plot to steal canned goods from another class to increase their chances of winning.

Well...one of the little angels in my class (we'll call him Anthony) was SERIOUS about winning the competition this year.  Everyday he made it a point to remind his peers to bring canned goods into school.  If one of the children forgos to bring in cans, he would be prepared with a lecture and a pep talk as to why it was important for us to bring in canned goods (of course his reason was so that our class could win the pizza party).

As the canned food drive progressed, Little Anthony started stressing his peers AND his parents out at home (You would think this child has never eaten pizza before!)!  Each morning, Anthony's dad would say, "Ms. Daley! This child is stressing me out about these canned goods! Is it that serious?!?!?!"  I explained to Anthony's dad that the class with the most canned goods would win a pizza party.  Of course Anthony's dad is like, "Pizza?!?! We eat that at least once a week!  It's not that serious!"

The last day of the canned food drive arrived.  I'm in my classroom taking attendance, collecting homework, and all those other wonderful morning tasks when I hear Anthony's dad call my name.  I come to the doorway and I see Anthony crouched into a little ball, weeping outside my door.

Anthony's dad says, "See! Dis yo fault! This canned food drive done made the boy go crazy!"

Of course I'm confused and I ask what is going on.  Anthony's dad proceeds to tell me that Little Anthony is upset because his dad did not buy any canned foods to donate to our food drive.  Anthony is also upset because he feels that if his dad bought canned foods, our class would have been guaranteed a victory.

I look at Little Anthony and say, "Anthony?  Canned foods?  It's not that serious.  Please come in the classroom and get ready to begin the day." 

Little Anthony drags himself into the coat closet and then I hear Anthony's dad say, "You still actin' crazy?  Everybody out."  I have never seen those children file out of the coat closet so quickly.  Then I hear a smack and then it's quiet.

When Anthony's dad emerges from the closet, he lets me know that he had to handle some business.  Then he said, "Canned goods??? It's not that serious!"