Textbook Definition

"All right class, open your books to p. 8."

"Ms. Balabusta! Ms. Balabusta! I don't have it."

"Why don't you have your book, Edmund?"

"I left it in your class Friday, and then I came back, and you were gone, and now I don't know where it is."

"Edmund, this is the second day we've had the textbooks, and you're telling me you lost yours already?"

"I didn't lose it! I left it here, and then I came back, and you were gone and..."

"You don't know where it is. Edmund, I hate to tell you this, but leaving your book somewhere and not knowing where it is is the textbook definition of having lost it."

"I didn't lose it! I left it here."

"Where is it now?"

"I don't know!"

This kid has never in his life copped to being unprepared for class. We have this conversation a lot.

"Ms. Balabusta, can I have a pencil?"

"This is the second day you've come unprepared to class, Edmund."

"I didn't come unprepared!"

"Yes, actually you did. You don't have a pencil."

"Nooooooo. I'm not unprepared, I just don't have anything to write with!"

Brought Kid X, my child-I-suspect-is-ADHD a stress ball. He immediately broke it. I could only find the kind that have squishy plastic stuff inside. No match for Kid X. We'll try again.

Brought the janitor some windchimes--my best interaction of the day. I owed him for bringing my fish up from the first floor.