Met an old teacher today and we got talking aboutΒ βthe good old timesβ and ten minutes into the conversation I jokingly said the one regret I have from middle school is that I never won anything at her magnificent tombolas? Because, like, she used to hold this game about once a month so weβd learn the numbers in French and it was never big prizes, but as a 12-yo I desperately craved them - a cactus-shaped eraser, a bright blue notebook with slightly larger-than-usual squares, a set of coloured pens - and never ever got a single one of them.Β
(Actually spent a good few months thinking I was genetically unlucky and researching ancient family curses with my grandma.)Β
So today I donβt know what I was hoping for - nothing, really?
(I mean, that part of me thatβs still twelve was probably expecting this sweet old woman to have a set of glitter stickers in her purse and just goΒ βYou know what, youβre right - Iβve been saving this one for you all these years, here you goβ but Iβm a solidly rational person and I know thatβs stupid.)
No, I thought weβd just laugh and it would be a good shared memory and that would be it. Instead, my teacher got flustered and a bit embarrassed and explained the game was rigged. It was never about learning French at all. Sheβd just noticed some kids couldnβt afford even basic stationery, so sheβd buy a few half-fancy items every month with her own money just for them. She didnβt want them to feel different or left out. And obviously the way she used to walk around in the classroom, looking over our shoulders - it wasnβt to prevent cheating. It was because she was cheating herself, wanting to see which number a particular child needed to get a Minnie Mouse pencil case.
Guys - the world is fucked up, but so many people out there are just good and kind and humbly heroic it honestly gives me hope.Β
Itβll be alright, youβll see.
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