Out of Pocket

Out of pocket can mean more than when money leaves your wallet. Let me tell you about Heidi*.  
Heidi is a friend of mine and a fantastic teacher. When she taught high school, her students loved her teaching style and her ability to make them feel valued. She didn’t have classroom discipline issues. And, she made algebra and trigonometry interesting for her students; someone needed to.
One day she was lecturing in front of a class. Like many people, my friend uses her hands to help herself talk. She would use hand sweeps to emphasize her points. This particular day she had turned her back on the class which was ok because where other students in other classes might talk or throw things behind the teacher’s back, her students did not.
At one point, she wrote with her right hand an equation on the board and stuffed her left hand in her pant pocket. When she was finished, she turned back to an attentive class to explain the mathematical problem on the board.
It was at that moment that she pulled her left hand out of her pocket and began a grand sweep. Little did she know that stuffed deep inside her pocket was the biggest string of lint you’ve ever seen.  Somehow that stringy, ugly, gagging type of lint attached itself to a minute flaw of jagged nail and followed her hand to the outside world.
It was as if that lint had waited a lifetime to make its debut. Her hand had become—a kite and the lint a tail. She lectured; the lint flopped and flailed in the air.
The students didn’t giggle, no—no. The students went hysterical. Heidi became confused and was clueless until one of her students pointed to her hand and the long string of lint.
Out of pocket— and at her expense. But at least she didn’t have to pay out the nose. You know what I mean?
What’s in your pocket?

*Name change

Comments

Yesterday I found a ten dollar bill in the pocket of my jeans. Funny...I don't put money in the pocket of my clothes...the Jean Fairy must of hit my closet! Heeehehhee!

Great story, I can just see the students rollin'. A good teacher keeps the attention of her classroom.

Have a beautifully blessed day my friend! :o)
Joanne said…
lol, her students sound like good sports, and she does too. Now she'll turn into a "pick-pocket," picking the lint from her pockets before class ;)
Hi Teresa - gosh I'd have been in hysterics .. and I can't imagine what the kids would be doing - on the floor rolling around.

Well it shows what a good teacher she is .. totally involved in her problem solving ...

Cheers .. lovely story .. Hilary
That's a funny story! Hope she was able to laugh at herself.
Mary Aalgaard said…
Great visuals in this story. I can just hear the students exploding with laughter. Well, she had their undivided attention!
Cheryl @ TFD said…
You are great with painting a word picture. I can just visualize this. What a good teacher and I'm sure she must have laughed with her students when she found out what happened. Have a great day!
4 Life said…
That is SO FUNNY! I love finding money in my pockets -usually when cold days arrive and I pull out the winter coat. Often, a twenty, tens, long forgotten ones. Eureka! Off to Starbucks I go!

Great post!
CM said…
Ha! That is too funny! But it sounds like she's one heck of a teacher, good for her!
Anonymous said…
Out the nose -- now that may have led to a different outcome.
Jemi Fraser said…
That's a great story! I'm betting she laughed right along with them :)

Popular Posts