Parting gifts

The end of term finally arrived I thought it would never happen. Of course it happens much quicker in all the other countries of the world. It all happened as it should. I woke up at 2pm Saturday and then went to pick up my car from where I'd left it - outside the pub. I enjoyed working at my school for years so I was sad to leave, at the same time I was happy. The boss has said she’s not putting teachers up the pay scale. It just seems mean. Most the teachers at the school are amazing; she just doesn’t see it. Ofsted graded their lessons good. I told her I thought it was unfair. She said yes it is unfair but then she did it anyway.

I’d done the whole ritual of keep safe over the holiday. I will miss you. You have worked hard this year. Enjoy your holiday. I’m sorry to be leaving you etc...then one child said, ‘Do we have school tomorrow?’ Sigh!

I had a strange array of parting gifts all of them very sweet. There were the usual teddies and mugs. I have a huge collection of mugs if only they did plates and bowls I could have a whole matching set. I told the children bottles would be most welcome. I ended up with several bottles of pound shop bubble bath. You always get the gifts with reduced labels and recycled gifts with other people’s names on but there’s nothing wrong with that. One child gave me a banana. I think he saw everyone else giving me gifts and wanted to give me something too. He took it out of his pack lunch box bless him. Then I got the best present in the history of all teacher gifts. A pizza!! It was delivered to me as soon as the bell went. It was exactly what I wanted. How thoughtful of the parent to think of lining my stomach before I headed for the pub. The dad handed it to me in front of the boss. I am sure she thought that I’d been cheeky and had it delivered to the school. But who cares? I’m gone now.

xxx