T
The Ranger
Guest
Daughter-unit Beta burst through the front door, jazzed and
cartwheeling in her excitement.
"Is the door still on its hinge?" I asked from around the corner
in a non-plussed, I'm-going-to-fix-it-if-you-break-it-being-stupid
manner.
"Oops. Sorry 'bout that! Guess what?"
"You got a boyfriend?"
"Stop saying that! And no, I don't 'got a boyfriend.' Yee-uck!"
"You outran your sisters and they're on their way home from
school?"
There was a pause and I could tell that she was thinking, "Wuhl,
yeah, I guess so." But just as quickly as she answered, she was
off-and-running with her original question. "Will you stop being
difficult? I'm being serious!"
"Cap'um Crunch or Raisin Bran?"
"No! Not 'cereal,' 'serious_'!"
"Oh..." I said, rounding the corner and smiling. "'Serious...'
Never heard of it." I shrugged.
Beta was already in the kitchen putting her lunch ice (blue ice
packs) away, back in the freezer. "I have something for you to
sign. I need it for tomorrow."
"Okay. Leave it in my box."
"No. I need you to sign it now."
"No. You need to put it in my box, just like we've done for the
last four years. Put it any place else and it will get lost..." I
droned for the zillionth time.
"No," she simply but effectively cut me off.
"'No?' I don't do 'No.'"
"I don't want mommy to know about this..."
I was intrigued.
"Le'me see it." I held out my hand.
"Don't laugh," she cautioned before setting a single sheet of
paper into my outstretched hand. I turned it around and started
reading it.
"Dear Parent of ____[BETA RANGER]_____,
"Your child has requested to run for the office of
_____SECRETARY_____ for his/her ASB Student Body. S/He has
fulfilled the requirement of obtaining 25 signatures from fellow
students. S/He must now seek your permission to participate in the
upcoming elections the week of 03-Sept-22.
"Please sign the tear-away permission slip below and return it by
03-Sept-19. This will be next step in participating as a
candidate.
"His/Her final requirements are to make two posters (12X18 inches)
that s/he will be able to place in two areas, write a speech
indicating why s/he believes they will make a good candidate, and
present his/her speech to me (as principal) and then the entire
student body on 03-Sept-22 at General Assembly.
"We would like him/her to make the posters, and write his/her
speech, without any assistance from you, his/her parent. This is
his/her project and, as such, we want to see what he/she is
capable of doing.
"You may attend General Assembly and watch him/her give his/her
speech. Please let us know if you plan on attending."
I finished reading it. Beta stood stock still holding her breath.
"Why?"
"Because?"
"Why do you want to run?"
"Because!"
"Why do you want to run and give a speech?"
"Because! I can make a difference!"
I pulled the drawer open, signed the paper, and handed it to her.
"That's what I wanted to hear."
The Ranger
cartwheeling in her excitement.
"Is the door still on its hinge?" I asked from around the corner
in a non-plussed, I'm-going-to-fix-it-if-you-break-it-being-stupid
manner.
"Oops. Sorry 'bout that! Guess what?"
"You got a boyfriend?"
"Stop saying that! And no, I don't 'got a boyfriend.' Yee-uck!"
"You outran your sisters and they're on their way home from
school?"
There was a pause and I could tell that she was thinking, "Wuhl,
yeah, I guess so." But just as quickly as she answered, she was
off-and-running with her original question. "Will you stop being
difficult? I'm being serious!"
"Cap'um Crunch or Raisin Bran?"
"No! Not 'cereal,' 'serious_'!"
"Oh..." I said, rounding the corner and smiling. "'Serious...'
Never heard of it." I shrugged.
Beta was already in the kitchen putting her lunch ice (blue ice
packs) away, back in the freezer. "I have something for you to
sign. I need it for tomorrow."
"Okay. Leave it in my box."
"No. I need you to sign it now."
"No. You need to put it in my box, just like we've done for the
last four years. Put it any place else and it will get lost..." I
droned for the zillionth time.
"No," she simply but effectively cut me off.
"'No?' I don't do 'No.'"
"I don't want mommy to know about this..."
I was intrigued.
"Le'me see it." I held out my hand.
"Don't laugh," she cautioned before setting a single sheet of
paper into my outstretched hand. I turned it around and started
reading it.
"Dear Parent of ____[BETA RANGER]_____,
"Your child has requested to run for the office of
_____SECRETARY_____ for his/her ASB Student Body. S/He has
fulfilled the requirement of obtaining 25 signatures from fellow
students. S/He must now seek your permission to participate in the
upcoming elections the week of 03-Sept-22.
"Please sign the tear-away permission slip below and return it by
03-Sept-19. This will be next step in participating as a
candidate.
"His/Her final requirements are to make two posters (12X18 inches)
that s/he will be able to place in two areas, write a speech
indicating why s/he believes they will make a good candidate, and
present his/her speech to me (as principal) and then the entire
student body on 03-Sept-22 at General Assembly.
"We would like him/her to make the posters, and write his/her
speech, without any assistance from you, his/her parent. This is
his/her project and, as such, we want to see what he/she is
capable of doing.
"You may attend General Assembly and watch him/her give his/her
speech. Please let us know if you plan on attending."
I finished reading it. Beta stood stock still holding her breath.
"Why?"
"Because?"
"Why do you want to run?"
"Because!"
"Why do you want to run and give a speech?"
"Because! I can make a difference!"
I pulled the drawer open, signed the paper, and handed it to her.
"That's what I wanted to hear."
The Ranger