Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Two Things, One Cute and One Not

After Boy#3's graduation ceremony a couple of weeks ago we had a few hours to kill before the family dinner so we headed to the big University Paraphernalia Store. There, among the Powercat travel mugs and purple T-shirts was an item that boggled my mind and is pictured above. Can you read the label in spite of the not-so-wonderful photography?

This is a cheerleader dress, but not for your adorable granddaughter, which I could forgive (although if you are buying it for your own toddler, ewwww, nice job of encouraging her to aim high). This is a cheerleader dress FOR A DOG.

A cheerleader dress. For a dog. 

Yes. You can now spend a whole bunch of money (I'm sorry, I was so boggled I forgot to check the price) to dress your Peekapoo in an officially sanctioned cheerleading dress. I had to call Boy#3 over to complain.

As I stood there waxing indignant about the kind of world we live in where children are hungry but a DOG wears a CHEERLEADING DRESS, I noticed there was a child staring at my son. The kid was maybe eight or nine years old, wore glasses with green rims, and was mutely gazing at Three as if he'd just spotted Justin Bieber. It took a minute (I was waxing exceedingly indignant) but Three finally noticed the boy.

"Hey, I know you," he said to him. The boy nodded, still mute but now beaming. "Okay, give me a hint--what's your name?"

"Max," the boy whispered.

"Max! Of course! You did a great job learning your song on the recorder this week," Three told the kid.

At that point Max's mother joined the conversation. "Oh, you were Max's student teacher, weren't you? He really enjoyed your class."

After a few pleasantries, Max and his mother moved on, Max looking back to Three for a final wave.

University Paraphernalia Store, I forgive you. Because you were the location for this cutest moment ever I will repress my indignation about your pet cheerleader dress.

But please get rid of them before the next time I visit, or at least hide them behind concealing covers like the Cosmopolitan magazines at the check-out stand. I can't always count on having a Max appear to counterbalance the indignant.

2 comments:

  1. What a great thing to hear about your son! Sometimes I think it's rarer than many people realize to be the kind of person who can do, teach others to do, and to fire kids up about doing no matter what the subject. My dad was a teacher and I was always proud when people told me how much they liked him as a teacher and that he got them interested in history. Right now oldest is in 4th grade with a teacher that is so great, I would willingly pay astronomical tuition if it meant he could stay his teacher for years.

    This comment is rambling, but bottom line is good for your son!

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  2. Oh that just warms my heart!
    My daughter is a student teacher one morning a week at the elementary school, where I volunteer as well. One day I was working at a table with 5 little ones and one girl kept staring at me with a huge smile. She didn't say anything for a while, just kept staring. Finally I stopped what we were doing, waiting for her to say something. She whispered "You're J's mommy, right? I know her. She's so nice." It's great that just a few minutes a week has such an influence, and moments like this helped confirm my daughter's desire to become a teacher.

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