It Happened at Work

Many of you have asked me to tell you the story of how Hubs and I met-----Really, no lie. People asked. You know, like maybe 4 of you anyway.


And the simple answer is actually one of Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop prompts: It happened at work.

I was 24 and had just returned to NC after a year away. My old school had hired me back, though this time teaching 8th grade and since I had a reputation of being a strict teacher, I was given the "problem" block of kids. The vice-principal even flat out told me that I should know idiot-teacher-two-doors-down-from-me-who-shall-remain-nameless-much-like-Voldemort would never be able to handle them. I guess it was supposed to butter me up, though it was also true. Those kids would have eaten her alive. Yes, this is important to my story.


Before you tell me that it's terrible to think that I had the "bad" kids, let me tell you that they were actually good for me, usually- except for the day one came to my class high and then tried to say that he wasn't by taking his shoes off, shaking them upside down, and yelling, "See, I don't have any drugs!"  One had just come back from a 365-day suspension for bringing a gun to school, and three didn't finish the school year because they were in jail. Not even juvenile detention, but tried-as-adults jail. And this was in a very small town. But, after coming off a year of teaching inner-city kids, I would just laugh at them and tell them that I'd taught 2nd graders who were tougher than they were.


We were about two weeks into the school year when one of my girls came running into my classroom, threw her backpack down on my front table and said something to the effect of "Ms. K, I was really bad. I did something horrible. You need to send me to chill-out."


"Chill-out" is basically a time-out room for middle-schoolers and also where the In-School-Suspension(ISS) kids serve their time.


The girl in question- Jessica was her name -OMG my memory isn't gone, just don't ask me her last name- there were 3 Jessicas in my third block, was one of my good kids, so I asked what the heck was going on.


And found out that they'd filled the position of the ISS teacher and he was hot, cute, etc. All my girls echoed this as they filed in to my classroom.


Damnit, I thought. What the hell good is the ISS teacher if my girls want to go to his room?


So, I decided to make an announcement. "Sorry, girls, your punishment will be having to stay here and just have me to look out. If you are good, maybe I'll have you take an assignment down there for me. Boys, I'll still send you, though."


I caught sight of the new teacher that afternoon out by the buses. And meanly whispered to my roommate, "Is that him? He looks like a lost puppy. Like he's going to do any good in chill-out."


But, since his classroom was on my hall and some of my students practically lived in his classroom, we started talking.  Really, my teaching partners who sucked and didn't know how to keep order in their classrooms sent so many kids to his room that if I wanted to see my third block kids, I had to go down to his room.


And so we started talking. And yes, he was adorable and really funny and sweet. Maybe even too sweet- I think the principal told him at one point to go observe me teaching to learn how to be meaner.


But, I was in no way looking for a relationship at that point and I had absolutely no desire to ever date someone that I worked with. In a middle school in a small town? Are you kidding me? All the gossip? No, thanks.


Yet, when he asked me to his birthday party, I still went. Because it was at a restaurant that was five minutes from my house that I liked and I knew I could duck out if I didn't want to be there any more.


I left that party thinking that he was not someone that I would ever date, whether we worked together or not.


Not because there was anything wrong with him- but it was very obvious that we were completely different.  But, I also left thinking that we could be friends.


How we went from that night to being engaged less than a year later and married less than a year after that is a story for another time.


But, there's the answer to how we met: It happened at work.


I just quickly want to mention how much I love the connections from blogging- the comments and the emails yesterday from those of you sharing your stories- it's amazing to find out how many experiences we have in common, even though no one would ever guess.  It means a lot that you shared those things with me.

Don't forget to check back tomorrow to see who is the new BFF: Blog Friend Feature. If you haven't checked out the first one- click the link in the sidebar and leave some love for Tammy.