MMV: der Seehund: Joe's vision of Hell

[Elainemmbell at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/26/2003 11:11:48 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
vze422fs at verizon.net writes:

> My vision of hell is teaching an eighth grade English class.
> 
> Joe       
> 

An addendum to Joe's vision of Hell:

My first job after college was teaching drama and English to 8th grade girls 
at a K-12 all girls all rich private school in Charlottesville, Virginia. 
(Yes, your mental images of flowing serpentine walks, honeysuckle vines, and 
white porticos fronting red brick edifices are all accurate.) You don't know 
the hell of 8th grade until you spend every day with several dozen spoiled 
southern maidens who have been bred to hate inferior people like 1) people 
from inappropriate places like Massachusetts 2) people who have to work for a 
living and 3) people who drive worse cars than their parents -- and I won big 
contempt points in all categories, plus several more!

I had thought the low point in my brief 8th grade teaching career came when I 
asked my little actresses to take their costumes home and iron them for dress 
rehearsal of our spring show and they looked at me like I had asked them to 
clean my bathroom.  One darling child just started laughing at me and said, 
"Miss Bell, no one IRONS!  That's why we have Pearl!"  

But no that was not the worst.  The REAL worst was when the maiden playing 
Tigger in our little revue got stage fright and threw up--requiring me to 
play the stupid bouncing tiger in her stead!  It was not one of my more 
exquisite performances... 

Elaine M.M. Bell, Writer
(860) 523-9225
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