Mean Teacher II

For a long time I was convinced that the stupidest thing I ever did was graduate from college.

After graduation, I went to work as a camp counselor at a church conference center. Meanwhile, I had sent out a good dozen job applications to school districts around the state.

A private school in Fayetteville invited me up for an interview. They paid for a motel room and wined and dined me and promised me the job. I got back to the conference center relaxed and pleased to know that I had my future well squared away.

Two weeks later, they were kind enough to contact me and let me know they’d given the job to someone else.

I got one other interview the rest of that summer. I showed up hung over and sporting endless fake tattoos. I think it’s fair to say I wasn’t fully committed to the process.

Self-destructive behavior was a general theme that summer. I’m fairly sure I couldn’t look anybody I knew during that time in the eye. There was a lot of booze and nudity, if you want me to paint you a picture.

By the end of the summer, I was packed and ready to drive to Denver to live with my aunt who was going through a divorce and needed help with her kids. The evening before I was planning on leaving, my mom called: Gaston County needed a French teacher so bad they were willing to hire me on the spot.

The guy who was planning to ride along with me as far as Louisiana got the short end of the stick on that one. I put him on a plane and went back down towards Charlotte. School had already started in Gaston County, but they were willing to give me a week to get my feet under me before I had to report to work.

At one apartment complex I especially liked, but totally couldn’t afford, I was told there was another late-hire teacher who needed a roommate. I got in touch with her, and the Year From Hell Began.

posted by Holley Wilson Mayville @ 11:46 PM