Unexpected Recognition

Yesterday I went to Kroger in Monticello to pick up some things for the three dishes I was taking to Megan and Matt's Independence Day party on Saturday.  I stuck to my list, for a change, and made my way through the aisles quickly, dodging the usual summer Beach People.

When I moved to the front of the line with my groceries on the belt, the cashier greeted me, as I did her, then she looked at the bag boy and said, 'This lady was my high school English teacher.'  I was stunned.  I had absolutely no idea who she was.  Even after I saw the name Patty on her tag, I was still clueless.

She finally told me that she was Patty Crawford, that I had also had her sister Carmen, and that she had graduated in 1983.  I reminded her that I always told my students to introduce themselves to me when I saw them years after their graduations because the adult versions would be different than the way I remembered them as juniors and seniors.  We chatted while she scanned my items, pushed the appropriate keys to accept my debit card, my PIN number, and the fact that I needed No Cash Back. Then she gave me the receipt and told me how nice it was to see me.  And I was happy to see her too.

As I loaded my groceries in the Escape, I remembered - Class of 1983.  That was my last class of 8th graders, then I moved up with them to freshmen, then on to sophomores.  I remember when Susan came to see me at the hospital when Megan was born in 1981, she asked me if I wanted to move up to juniors, so I had them again, and finally my first year with Short Stories and Novels was their senior year so I had many of them yet again. I used to tease them by saying that everything they knew about writing and grammar and literature, they could thank me for.  I also remember Steve Schultz's response - he said that if there was something they DIDN'T know that they should, it would be my fault because I hadn't taught it to them.  Touche!

When I was telling Gary about the experience at dinner, he mentioned that I should feel really good.  She had no trouble recognizing me, even though it had been 30+ years since her graduation.  I must not have changed that much!  That was good to hear!

Then I decided to add a post to my FB page about the experience.  To my surprise there were at last count 112 'likes' on that post.  There were also more than 14 comments, including some very nice remarks:

 **I loved reading this!

**That is pretty cool!!

** Tells me how good a teacher you are. That was a great experience I bet. Glad you posted. Loved reading it!!

** What a nice tribute to you as a teacher. 

** It is wonderful Beth when that happens as you say.Great story!!
 

**I have had that happen also with the added twist that I was your student and now my daughter is your student.  Beth, naturally you and l haven't changed much over 35 years of teaching.

** My kids loved Beth!! Travis can tell you a story about his papers all blowing off the top of his car for Beth's class, she had the class go out and help him find them. I thought that was amazing!!

 

** Love it when that happens!

 

** You obviously made quite an impression on her.

** Oh Beth, my memories of your class are of diagramming sentences!! At least I THINK it was your class😳!!

Then there was a message from another student:

Hey! Just read your post about the lady at the grocery store. That is quite amazing.... but I'm not surprised. You're a pretty remarkable teacher! Just wanted to let you know that I'm a semester away from getting my bachelor's in Speech/Language and Communication disorders. And I just want to thank you for being such a great teacher and inspiration to me and many others! Thank you for everything!!!!

After I responded and thanked her, she continued:

You ... deserve so much more than just kind words! You were always there for me... in my personal life and in school and I could never find enough words to thank you! School has been tough. I was only taking 2-3 courses a semester while at ivy tech but had to take at least 12 credit hours a semester at this school bc I was offered the dean's scholarship each semester but had to be full time to get that scholarship. I couldn't turn it down though bc it was $2500 a semester.  I'm pretty tapped out right now emotionally. But I've been on the dean's list every semester and don't plan to do any less for the remainder of school.  I love seeing the posts with you and your daughters and their families! I have such admiration for your daughter that has had foster children that she adopted! That really takes a special person/people to adopt and care for a child that they didn't give birth to! You've certainly raised some amazing kids!!!

You know, I always wanted to be a teacher, even since Mrs. Kitzmiller was my 6th grade teacher at Knox Elementary.  I never strayed from that goal.  I have loved just about every minute of my teaching career.  I appreciate all of the nice comments I have received, the recognition through the years, and the kind words written in FB messages, in cards, in notes when I retired.   But the most touching, and the most important, to me was Courtney's last sentence in the second note she sent last night.  

Through it all, my daughters have been the most important accomplishment in my life.  And yes, she is right.  Both of them are amazing.

I didn't share the experience at Kroger and re-connecting with Pat after over 30 years for any kind of recognition.  But what I have read really warms my heart.  And today---I needed that.