Saturday, June 01, 2013

goodbyes, time, and weather

Today I said goodbye to the kid I've been tutoring, but it was not so "goodbye" because I said I could still come around when they come to the library, and maybe we could read in the children's section. He was reading and then he stopped and  said he realized it was the last time we were going to have these sessions. He asked why and I said it was because they ran out of money to have a children's tutoring program, and he said "oh," and then went back to reading. It was a little bit sad. But not too bad. He likes reading. I wore my Bunnicula shirt that my friend got for me at a reading conference in 2006. "I love those books," he said. He reads the early reader versions. I'm not sure if he's at his "grade level," but he likes stories and books. I said, "I'm really glad you like reading," and told him that I know some college-age people who have difficulties reading books. He read 2 1/2 Fly Guy books and then wanted to save the end of the last book to read at home. People only save the end of the book to read later if they really like reading, I think. He also still makes movies with his best friend, using his best friend's video camera.  He started singing "Everybody dance now" as we walked to the children's section. "You know that song? That song was popular when I was in high school," I said. (Actually, it came out even earlier.) When I walked home, I thought about how I've been discussing books with someone who isn't even the age I was in 5th grade. I must have someone about that age still inside of me...I could feel a little 5th grader self alive and well, walking home in the sun.

Everybody Dance Now

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Martha Wash "The Original Weather Girl"

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