El Pollo Loco

Last night Maryann and I were sitting across the table from each other having such a laughy conversation. I had just gotten back from a meeting, and we started filling each other in on our evenings. We each had some light complaints over our teaching to-do lists, but that quickly led to swapping funny stories about our kids. Things might get a little stressful here and there, but we get to enjoy some speical moments with these students. Sometimes they say the silliest things, and their personalities are really starting to shine. They're clearly getting to know us better and have started to copy some of our sayings; some of my kids are even finishing my sentences saying, "yes Miss Harris I know what you're going to say...I need to stop talking, sit down and do my work." Yes Guillermo, Eric, Eduardo, Lissie, [insert any number of my 2nd graders here] that's exactly what I'd like for you to do! Apparently I say "Seriously?!" with relative frequency. It comes with an undertone of, "surely this is a mirage and you're actually focused on your work and engaged in learning right now" and sometimes a little cock of the head paired with an eyebrow raise and a little sideways hand gesture. I didn't realize how much I said it until the kids started saying it to each other. It is too cute! The other day I guess Eric felt like I was asking too much of them and he cocked his adorable little head when he asked, "Seriously Miss Harris?" Hahah, I love it.

We started laughing so hard my cheeks were a little sore. All the laughter had me smiling about an afternoon we had--it's been a while ago now, but we went for a long walk across the bridge the other end of town and back around again. Along the walk we met the crazy chicken--El Pollo Loco--pecking around town. He lives across the bridge at the top of the main street, and I don't walk up that far very often...I guess it's unfair to say "he" because I'm thinking it must be a hen...so La Gallina Loca might make more sense. Anyway, there is absolutely no way a typed story can do this thing justice, but I couldn't help but try. This is a seriously crazy chicken! And every time Maryann and I bring it up we can't stop laughing. It pecks around almost like it's drug, or high on something with its beak all kinds of crazy. And you know how most chickens have feathers that lay flat, or here and there they'll stand up in some uniform formation? Not this one. Its black feathers jet out all sorts of loco like it stuck its beak in a socket. I tried getting pictures, but none capture the pura loca.

When we saw her I couldn't help but compare her to one of my students, and while I guess I "should" feel a little guilty about that, the shoe happens to fit so I'm going to let her wear it. This girl is a sweetie for sure, but such a crazy little thing. Her long brown hair always seems to need a brush, even though she keeps a one in her backpack! My babylion's mane of frizz and I can relate, so I'm of course not poking fun. I remember a rainy morning when she was trucking up the sidewalk and her hair was blown so crazy she looked like a wall of knotted brunette. I hadn't realized Maryann was beside me until I heard her say, "That--needs a brush." But of course that isn't the half of it with this girly. She can be quite the distraction in the classroom, and sometimes I feel like she's a tiny butterfly, and I'm running around trying to catch her (attention) with my net (riveting lessons). So it's not just her crazy hair and attention span, but her uniform is generally a little askew and the way she wheels her carry-on of a backpack has me sorry for the hallways. So I see Loca pecking around, compare her to "my student who needs a brush" and we were done. We both doubled over laughing, and had fun finding silly comparisons throughout the rest of our walk. I would like to make sure it's known that I really love this student, but the wall of crazy black feathers sent memories of that rainy morning and it took off from there. And it always feel so good to share such a good, hearty laugh.

We took this on the bridge--this is one of the  most "mas hizo" views in town. I had to cock my head to get it in the picture :) And Maryann had fun dressing me that day!