he began to tell me an impassioned tale.
Then,
thinking he did not have my attention,
he called out,
"Grammy?"
I looked up in surprise,
and he was delighted that I was listening,
so he proceeded to tell me his story.
I smiled,
and studied him,
and feigned listening,
but I could not hear him,
because of the loud echo in my ears,
"Grammy?"
Can it be?
I am used to hearing,
"Mom,"
"Momma,"
"Mommy,"
inadvertently,
when a child is busy and focused,
and needing the adult at hand.
I have always loved this.
My hair is salt and pepper,
well on its way to gray.
My preschoolers' parents are now
closer in age to my sons
than to me.
I am changing.
This is a first.
Grammy?
It, too, is a term of endearment.
Grammy?
I will learn to love this.
I haven't had that yet, but perhaps because I'm with older students. How sweet it is, though, that your student saw you this way. My daughter, when quite young, used to say those 'older ones-like me now' had 'old' hair. We had to teach her that she had to not say it to strangers! I love that repetition at the end.
ReplyDeleteI can just imagine that moment of pause for you as the word was echoing and him just continuing on! You captured this moment beautifully and I love your perspective.
ReplyDeleteTwo years ago, I was on a field trip with our preschoolers. One boy was with his gramma, someone I had not met. She asked me which child was my grandchild and I just about fainted! But it is true - I could be the grandmother of these kids. In fact, I am the same age as one of my teachers' mother! Oh well.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful and sweet and honest. I love you Maureen.
ReplyDeleteYour entry made me smile with delight. I know how you feel - it is sweet to be thought of in the "grammy" category. But I did balk a bit when one of my students told me I was using the wrong color to draw my hair on my picture. Alas, truth was told.
ReplyDelete