Monday, August 24, 2015 – School Days, School Days, I’m So Glad I’m Not With You Days or Ellis’ First Day Back to School

Monday, August 24, 2015 – School Days, School Days, I’m So Glad I’m Not With You Days or Ellis’ First Day Back to School

The start of a new school year. I sincerely wish all of you a great start to a new year and continuing for the next 180 days. Or however many legislatively defined days of school there are at this time. May you have more days of instruction than assessment.

A treat in summers past was the family vacation. I vacationed with The Cousins and Niece#2 and her husband. I was the only other adult allowed to go. Of course, I did make all of them sign papers stating that if I died while on vacation, I would not be strapped to the roof top of the suburban on the return trip home. If I died while on the trip, I saw no reason for them to cancel the vacation and return as a result. I wasn’t going anywhere. I just did not want to be strapped to the roof. Besides it might look bad for business with those DEALER’S license plates.

After a lovely vaca in Galveston one summer, everyone was packing and loading vehicles for the returns to various homes. Our rooms were on the fourth floor and the one elevator was slow. The one elevator with no air conditioning was very slow.

The older cousins were loading cars downstairs. I arrived downstairs with my load of stuff just in time to overhear one of The Cousins say “He’s a little shit!” He immediately apologized for his language and when I asked who he was talking about, he said “Blaine.” Background: Blaine – GNephew#3 who was about 10 years old at the time – In the photo he is far right in the yellow shades

I agreed, left them loading cars and returned to the fourth floor to retrieve more gear, including the ice chest piled high with more stuff. I finally return to where The Cousins stood impatiently waiting. “What took you so long? And “Why are you sweating so much?”

I angrily replied “It was Ellis’ fault!”

“Ellis?” they asked.

“L. S. – Little Shit! Blaine jumped in the elevator, pressed all of the buttons and then jumped out. It took almost 5 minutes to reach the first floor.”

And now, as Paul Harvey would say, “The rest of the story.”

First day of school that year. Teacher calls roll.

“Blaine A?

“Here, but please call me Ellis.”

Later that afternoon the cell phone of “Ellis’” mother rings. This is Niece #2.

Blaine’s Teacher (laughing) “Niece #2, am I supposed to call Blaine, Ellis? He said he changed his name.”

Niece # 2 (mortified) “Oh no. I am so sorry, Blaine’s Teacher. We’ll talk to him. It might be a long year.”

Update: Today Ellis begins his junior year at Conroe High School taking all AP classes.