Lots of driving on Tuesday

Tuesday was the first day the BART strike was over.  Getting to school should have been no problem.  People are back on the trains and off the highway.  Well, it did not go well.  Nearly every highway in The Bay Area had major wrecks.  Big rigs, motorcycles, cars, vans, you name it, it had crashed.  We are talking total gridlock. 

When we got to the ramp for 580 we could see traffic was stopped.  So we went to plan B, street roads.  Now usually our trip to Kaiser School is around 35 minutes.  On a bad day it takes 45 minutes. On the bad traffic days I am there by 8:45. We had built in extra time in case of slow traffic.  This is a trip of 12 miles.  Tuesday it took one hour and five minutes to get to school.  By the time I signed in, hit the restroom, and walked out to the Portable, it was 9:30.   Ms. H was glad to see me.  Another volunteer was out sick, and one called and said she just couldn't get there. 

Ms. H gave me several books to pick to read to the class. Some were fiction and some were science and social studies books.  I picked two books and had the class vote on which book they wanted to hear.  I explained they were not fiction.  I held up the books, one was about the life of bats and the other was about Mummies.  I told them to stand up if they wanted the bat book.  Not a child stood up.  The whole class wanted to hear Mummies by Joyce Milton and illustrated by Susan Swan. 

Mummies is pretty educational on a first grade level.  The book has photographs and illustrations.  It tells how the organs are removed and preserved separately from the body.  Lots of ewww when I read that.  It explains why pyramids were built. And it gives information about the funerals of the Kings.  Years ago I was a docent in a museum and gave tours on mummies (bats too).  I knew extra material I added to the discussion of the book.  Over all the class listened and liked the book.

Tuesday was one long day for me.  We left for school at 8:00, Marty picked me up at school, I dropped Marty back at work, then went to have my hair cut, picked up Marty, and then home.  I grabbed a bite to eat and then drove back to the neighborhood the school is in for my book group.  I got home around 9:30 P.M.  All these little trips added up to about 100 miles of driving.  I was tired and slept really well Tuesday night.

Back with the First Graders and other stuff

Tuesday was a big day.  It was the first time I had driven since September 5.  I was more than a little nervous.  It was only 13 miles to the school, but rush hour traffic on a freeway can be exciting.  Was I ready?   The trip took 44 minutes, lots of idiots on the road, but I stayed cool.  No stress allowed.  I parked on campus with my new handicap placard.  That saved me the walk up and down hills, which I could not have done.

Once in the classroom, great joy by Ms. H.  Hugs all around.  She introduced me to the class and then we went to work.  She insisted I work at a table one on one with the students.  Not much walking around allowed.  I was to take it easy.  I helped the students correct and rewrite a story about Pajama Day.   They love to use upper case letter, even in the middle of a word.  We also worked on expanding sentences:  It was fun, became I had fun because we wore pajamas and slippers to school.  I asked them to tell what happened that day, and then they wrote it down.

Then I moved on to math.  Mostly they needed to finish pages, or show their work.  Finally I was allowed to walk around and check over the phonics workbooks.  She was right, I wasn't ready to do a lot of walking and bending over. 

I took my blood pressure and pulse during recess. And then I took my pills. I stretched out the time I usually do that so the class was out of the room.   As I was leaving Ms. H handed me flowers and a card.  Then a little girl came up, hugged me, and then kissed me.  Several children came up and hugged me.  That is why I volunteer, sweet little children.

I went home, had lunch and then had a nice long nap.  Tuesday night is my Book Group.  I had to be rested and strong for that.  I was driving myself and friend Kirsten to Book.

Book Group was great.  These are good friends who had prayed for me and sent me good wishes throughout my hospital stay.  We had a great discussion on a very difficult book.  The Wicked Girls is so well written and such a sad and upsetting story.   This is not a book for just anyone to read.  You have to understand it is tragic and the subject matter is gut wrenching. 

I was tired when I got home.  But I had done another normal day.  Even if I had to nap.  I had done it.

Part 2 from Joe

How It Started

My wife is in Janet's book club.  Their meetings are grouped in sessions, and each session ends with a potluck supper.  I show up for the potluck because Janet usually makes something delicious involving meat.

During the potluck right after the state of California first legalized same-sex marriage, Janet bemoaned the shortage of marriage commissioners to handle the tidal wave of couples newly free to marry, and asked if anyone in the club wanted to join her at the Hall of Records.

I did some acting in college, so I have no problem standing in front of people and talking.  My wife and I had been married almost 8 years at that point, and things were (and still are) working out well, so I was (and still am) a big fan of marriage.  I had (and still have) gay friends, and the thought of them being denied a basic right was ridiculous.  Those seemed like good enough reasons to volunteer.

Anyone who's read this blog probably knows what happened next.  All the new folks and the pros gathered, oaths were sworn, vows were hastily copied and distributed.  The terror of ruining someone's perfect day gradually gave way to the contagious joy radiating from enfranchised people.  I got better at gathering groups onto elevators.  I massaged here and poked there and finally constructed the ceremony that said what I wanted to say about marriage: its obligations and its rewards.  I set to joining folks in matrimony.

Once the initial surge calmed down, a lot of the volunteers drifted away.  I liked the routine and the people, both staff and couples, and my boss was kind enough to bend my work schedule to keep Friday mornings free, so I stayed.  That was more than 5 years ago.

Joe, ready for the next couple.

Next post, Why Joe Marries Couples