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There's a pool party tomorrow. Well, there's a pool party every summer, really, towards the end. I guess it's a good thing to do, giving everyone a chance to get together and eat barbecue and swim and stuff.

I always thought it was weird, when I was just a normal student, that they let all the old people come. I'm just realizing that I'm one of the old people now, and that feels weird. I've been asked to help out with the little kids a bit, do some craft projects, then I'll be free to party I guess.

So yeah, I'll be there, if anyone wants to meet up. Anyone else planning on going?

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I'll be attending. Even if you keep referring to me as 'old people'. You do know it wouldn't be as weird if you young kids would just stop growing up, right?

Well, there is sort of a line between the teachers and the students. I remember when I was little everyone really did just seem so old. It feels even weirder now that I'm teaching, and I feel closer to the other students than I do to the teachers.

Growing up is odd.

It gets easier as time goes on. Not to mention easier as all your friends and people you grew up with actual graduate and you don't have that weird gap anymore and all the kids just know you as a teacher rather than a fellow student.

That's part of it, definitely. I'm living in Baxter, and I was still in class with half these guys just last year.

Of course I'll be there. Thanks for helping out Pete, I appreciate it. Let me know if you need any help, a whistle blow and I"m there.

Oh, and don't forget to tie your trunks tight, some of the kids like to "pants" the life guards.

Pants? Oh man, that was bad enough when I was a student. I've just got the little ones. I don't think kids get going like that until they're um... ten? Oh right, that's fourth grade. Man, I need to get them to like me. I want to take the fourth and fifth graders on a trip to the museums in Boston this year.

At first I thought you ment a little swim suit, like a speedo. I'm guessing you mean the kids. Trust me the fourth graders can sneak up on you.

Good luck with that, you have more chaperones lined up yet? It's best if they can out number the students. If that's not possible keeping them exhausted is the next best thing. I'd advice no escalators or elevators, make them take the stairs.

Or even walk to Boston...

I... speedo. Um. No. Not a speedo. Ever. On someone my height they look sort of like a bandaid. I wear trunks. Definitely.

And yes. I'm working with the little kids. Lower school, which is where I'll be teaching in the fall.

I don't have chaperones yet, but I don't think I want to go until spring. I want them to know me first, and I think the fourth graders'll need some more maturity. I'll need to figure out how many children there are, and how much help I'll need. I guess there's a lot of organization to it.

If you need help with watching the rugrats, let me know.

Thanks, I will.

I'll be there, Mister Watson.

Ah. ~~Of course~~ ~~You don't~~ ~~Just Peter~~ Of course you will.

Not as if there's anything else to do in this town, is there?

Well, you could go somewhere else if you really wanted, couldn't you? I think it's good that they have things for everyone. Even if it's odd for the teachers and students to all get together like that.

I live in Pelham Hills, so no, not really much of anywhere else to go. I'm hoping for a car for my birthday.

~~Must be nice~~ I haven't bought a car yet. I need to.

Well, if I get one, you can let me know if you need a ride anywhere.

~~Why~~ Oh. Thanks.

You're welcome.

Weird, isn't it, going from student to teacher? I've had a bit more of a gap in between graduating and coming back, though. But if you're teaching the little ones, they think even the upper schoolers are ancient and scary. Or at least I did when I was that young.

It's very weird. And I'm tall, so I think the little ones think I'm even older. I had one ask me over the summer if I was a giant. Which I'm not. Are you-- I don't know if I know you?

Funny, it's usually me saying that!

I don't know if we've met. I'm Ezekiel, and I'll be teaching History in the upper school. I graduated in 2002, and now I'm back, and it feels odd to know that I'm going to be at the front of the room instead of in one of the desks.

I taught in a regular school last year, and it was an absolute disaster. I'm hoping things will turn out a bit better here.

I don't remember anyone named Ezekiel. I'm Peter, and I've just graduated last June. I'm doing post-graduate work for my Spiritwalking, and I'm teaching art in the lower school. Which they let me do since I don't really need a degree for it, not with the little kids. I haven't decided yet if I want to study art history at the college or not, but I'll take some classes.

You graduated eight years ago and it still feels weird to be a teacher? I think I'm doomed.

Um. What sort of a disaster?

I've only been teaching for two years, though. I was in college for the first four years and in grad school for the next two.

Last year, I was teaching middle school History. I'm not convinced that students that age aren't actually concentrated evil. And if you show any weakness at all, it's a bit like being attacked by a pack of rabid hyenas. I didn't stand a chance!

You'll be all right. Kids love art. At least, I did.

But they weren't actually hyenas since you weren't here. Right? I mean here, they could actually be hyenas. Or worse.

I love art still. I think they're letting me teach it because I can fingerpaint.

Fingerpainting was not my forte. I would forget I had paint on my fingers and brush back my hair, rub my eye, something like that. I was very colorful by the end of class.

Fingerpainting ought to be everyone's thing. It's okay to get paint on you when you've stuck your fingers in it already.

I'm sure if you looked at some of the lower school yearbooks from around, oh, 1991, 1992, you'd find some entertaining pictures of me from art class.

Oh second thought, perhaps I shouldn't be telling you that. You might decide to show them to my students and I'll be doomed before I even start.

Why would I show them to your students?

I suppose just because it would probably be amusing to do so. It was mostly meant as a joke.

I don't like jokes at other people's expense. Or, I guess I don't get them. So I just didn't think of it.

Can't say that I do, either, but then I've spent a lot of time as the butt of them. They always say they're laughing with you, but... what if you're not laughing?

I guess my artistically disastrous secret history is safe.

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