Happy Endings

Once upon a time there was a teacher who was oh-so-very tired, and just a little bitter and angry that she had to work two days beyond the school year, when just the year before she furloughed two days to save jobs and balance the budget.

The first day of work—full day no less—after the school year ended (which made finishing grades the day before anti-climactic), she had lots of meetings and extra tasks to accomplish. So after work she went shopping on the way home. She stopped at her favorite local jeweler, and bought herself a pretty ring that sparkled in the sun.

Then she went home and made herself a pretty salad for dinner.

And she went to bed happy.

But the next day she struggled again. She sat through a three hour workshop (with only a 5 minute break) and then still had her classroom to clean. She skipped lunch to get it done and a good friend helped her. At 2:30 she turned in her grade book and keys and drove away.

She stopped for a bite to eat, but more so to celebrate summer vacation. And she couldn’t think of a meal that celebrated summer more than steamers and lobster.

And she went home happy.