Take an Ice Cream Break

School buildings are still closed and eerily quiet. I make a trip or two to the building each week to retrieve items for staff members or families, or to assist with meal distribution. Nothing is the same and just seeing a familiar smiling face in the car waving to you is enough to light up your world.

Last Friday was the same, I was going through the same motions and feeling strange at school in the quiet and dark hallways. We served many meals to families that drove up, and I was happy to see people I knew from our school and the community. I collected my belongings when we finished, closed things up, and headed to the door. Before I excited the building, I noticed a car parked about twenty feed from mine, facing the building (the same way I had parked). I hoped they hadn't come for meal pick up, as we had already run out. I paused before I proceeded to exit the building.

During this pandemic, I often feel guilty talking to people, feeling like I am not supposed to. People aren't as comfortable being friendly right now. I walked to my car, and looked over toward the unknown car while I put my backpack in the backseat. A blonde head popped up into the back window of that car, a very familiar kindergarten face! I waved, excited to see him, and got into my vehicle and prepared to drive away. The driver of the car waved me over, so I pulled up next to them. The driver introduced himself as the grandpa to my student in the backseat. The backseat window rolled down and I excitedly greeted the student, told him how much I miss him, complimented his long hair and asked what he had been doing at home. He gave me a couple short answers, paired with his contagious laugh. Grandpa jumped in and added that the boy wanted to get some ice cream, so they had just done that. The next thing grandpa said, I was not prepared to hear.

"We're parked here, because after we got our ice cream, he said he wanted to come see his classroom."

I don't even remember what I said next. That comment pulled my heart strings. I told the boy it was great to see him, thanked the grandparents for bringing him to see his classroom and I drove away. It is funny how things happen to you that cause you to stop and reflect. To think that this child, who had many rough days in school, wanted to see his classroom because he missed it that much, tells me WE are doing something right.

ps. So are those amazing grandparents.