bruised pride...and buttocks

I was in a kindergarten room this morning, helping a little before I started testing again. Enter into the picture Arturo, the cutest 5 year old you'll ever see. Arturo has Kabuki Syndrome, (similar to autism), is incredibly lovable, and I'd take him home with me in a heartbeat. I pull up a chair to work with a group of kids, and no sooner than I pulled it up and went to sit down, Arturo walks up behind me, and pulls the chair out to take to his table - not realizing that I was about to sit in it. Now, I'd love to be able to tell you I knew he took the chair...but alas, I did not. I fell flat on my tail, and was totally stunned as to where the chair went. I turn around (yes, to lay into some kid for taking the chair!), and see him dragging my chair to his table - to do his work. He never realized that I was getting ready to sit in the chair - he just knew he needed something to sit in at his table! I look at the teacher in the classroom, who at this point has a very stunned look on her face (it didn't take long for the stunned look to turn into laughter, though), then turned to look at the kids I was getting ready to work with. You could tell that every one of those kids wanted nothing more than to laugh their heads off, but were afraid of laughing at a teacher. I began laughing at the whole situation, and they did too - much relieved, I'm sure, because a few of them weren't doing a good job of holding it in, anyway! So now, I have an incredibly sore tailbone, and my pride has been bruised - in front of a group of kids who won't soon forget it.

Just another joy of working an an elementary school: kids who remember ABSOLUTELY everything.