Day 4 - the first week

I was locked in the stall with a seven year old. A seven year old male child. In-the-boy's-bathroom.  He didn't want to come out, so he locked himself in. He opened the door a crack to see me and I let myself in. well rather pushed myself in. Safer or so I thought. now you must remember ...stall...locked... tight... close...very close...claustrophobia anyone?.

Me: I'm tired, I'm going to sit.
Male Child: you can't sit on the toilet unless you pull your pants down.
Me: I'm tired I'm sitting.
Male Child: Pull your pants down. you have to pull your pants down before you sit on the toilet."
Me: okay then, I have magic. it's not a toilet its a chair! "
and then I sat. and then he was quiet. Stunned actually.
Male Child: you're sitting on the toilet with your pants on.
Me: I'm sitting in a chair. this is a chair now. My pants are on it must be a chair.
(his face registered "logical"...I think).

We were in there for some time. So much time that my issues with the smell, the lack of space, the strangeness of it all disappeared. It was just this young man and me - trying to come to some agreement about how and when we were getting out of this stall.

me - magic, creativity, set of the pants,
him - amazement, boredom, connection
results - out of the stall and into the classroom -  priceless

August, 2011