Last week, I asked one of my students how she was doing. She said she was not good. She said she had never seen pollen.
This seemed incredulous to me. How could anyone not have seen pollen?
She told me she was from Illinois, and there was no pollen.
My curiosity is aroused. I did not know that there were pollen-free places where a person could live. I've grown up covered in a fine film of yellow. I've always lived in places where spring has arrived overnight and with abundance.
I am now officially on spring break. I had nightmares last night about drowning, a Dakota Fanning book signing where Oprah Winfrey yelled at the attendees for talking in line, and losing control of the car I was driving. I am hoping that this was my subconscious way of purging all the anxiety and stress of work so that I can relax for the next seven days.
I have purchased books to read that are probably the equivalent of literary geek crack - a trilogy of novels retelling Pride and Prejudice from Mr. Darcy's perspective. I will be spending three days looking at the ocean and thinking what a rascal George Wickam is.
I've taught my students to love the dash and respect the semi-colon. I am still at my happiest when I am in the classroom.
