Going Anyway

Not An Emotional Person

Thursday, May 18

Today was a little more normal than yesterday. I had to help a few kids who are failing after school today, and I didn't get home until 5:30, after the story aired the first time. It aired during the the 6:00 news though, so I sat on the couch to watch it. Ava watched it with me when I told her I would be on. She was really excited about this.

They interviewed a student who was really a jerk at the beginning of the year, but he has gotten better, and he gets his homework done every time now. "I thought Mr. Easton was just really strict because he wanted to control us, but now I realize that he's strict because he wants us to do good. He really does care about us."

Another student, Leah said, "Yeah, I didn't like Mr. Easton at first, but his raw sense of humor makes me look forward to going to class. He sets up his class for kids to succeed, and his class isn't even that hard if you follow directions."

Nancy did an interview. "Mr. Easton is very encouraging. He believes in me even when I don't believe in myself. "

Ava watched almost in awe. Those words from the students meant a lot.

Then my interview came on. I hated watching myself. It was edited a little, so that's good. Why did I try to sound smart by using those big words yesterday?

And then Jeff came on. "Mr. Easton is one of those people who people don't always like because he's right about a lot of things. He wants everyone to succeed. If one student is failing his class, he's not happy. He wants everyone to have to opportunity to go to college, and he wants everyone to graduate no matter what their background is. I've known him since he was a kid as he was a student here, but I have never seen so much growth in one person in my life. I think all the teachers here need to strive to be like him."

Then the story wrapped up in the studio. "Mr. Easton was very honest, but he was also down to earth," Laura said. Then she moved on to the next story.

"You're famous, Steven!" I could tell Ava was proud of me.

Ava has never seen me shed a tear, and I wanted to keep it that way, so I cleared my eyes before meeting her eyes. I'm not an emotional person, but these last few weeks haven't been easy. I faked a smile because I couldn't talk.

"I am going to be just like you when I grow up," she told me.

"You're sweet." My voice was quiet when I said that as my vision blurred again, so I got up and walked to the kitchen, so she wouldn't see. Granted, she could still see me from the living room; I was just farther away.

"Everyone likes you though. How do you do that? Sophia isn't mad anymore, but I still feel like her and Izzy and her don't like me."

I got some meat out for dinner, forcing myself to pull it together. If she sees how much this move affects me, she's not going be positive about this move either.

"Not everyone likes me, but I do my best to respect everyone regardless of how they feel about me."

She sighed. "That doesn't always work."

"You're right, and that's just the way it is."

After that, she started interviewing me about being interviewed.