Recess Fun

There's a little girl named Camille who is in the third grade that I have loved since the first day I saw her. She's a little girl with Tri-21 (Down Syndrome) and since kids with this disorder all look like they're related she reminds me of my Fallon back home. I just love Camille! Unfortunately this love is not often mutual. I'm the one that has to tell her when recess is over and Camille doesn't like that much.

Camille's favorite recess game is "chase and then tie up Colin with a jump rope." Colin's a good sport. A cute 2nd grader who apparantly loves the attention of this older woman. But today... well, he may rethink this recess activity.

Somebody told me that there was still a 3rd grader out even though the 3rd grade bell had rung several minutes before. I looked under the slide and there was Camille, Colin and a few other kids with worried faces. Camille had Colin tied to a pole under the slide. "It's okay. I like it," said Colin. I told him that I knew he was okay with it but that it was time for Camille to go inside. "Come on inside, Camille. Your recess is over," I told her. She told me to wait. That she had to just tie it a few more times. "No, Camille. It's time to go. You're already late and you already have two warnings. If you don't go in nice today then you can't have lunch recess any more." Camille continued to tie her rope. Suddenly Colin looks at me and says, "Uh! Miss Emily? It's actually starting to hurt..." I gave Camille a warning and told her that she had 5 seconds to come out before I went to get her teacher. "No! Don't get my teacher!" I counted to five but she wasn't moving...

I walked over to her class and went inside. The whole class was on the rug staring at the teacher as she closed a book she had read to them. "Excuse me, but is Camille supposed to be in here right now?" I whispered.
"Yes, she is."
"She won't come in from recess."
"Then bring her in."
"She won't do that for me and I certainly can't drag her."
"Alright, I'll go get her. You take care of the class."
And she was gone...

Wait! What? "Take care of the class." What does that mean???

"Hehe... so... guys... in the 3rd grade, huh? That's cool..." I sat in the chair in front of the class with 60 young eyeballs on me. "Books... nice... so you're readers... what kind of books do you like to read?" Hands shot up. I kept asking weird questions and they ate it up. I was a hit! I may not be Camille's favorite person but her class loves me. I'm okay with 30:1. I can live with that. Besides, I still have my Fallon...