Subs

We may not have a PhD or Bachelor's
(some states will take you if you graduated
high school only) but we're hired to come into
a classroom, unprepared in many ways as far
as union murmurings or gossip in the lounge,
not privy to the teacher's rules and such, but well
aware that confidence which comes from
knowing we will handle what we find will
see us through the day, gratified we're helping
teachers who are sick or need some time away.
Teach the lesson, give the test, send a bully
to the office (doesn't happen much),
take a child aside to see what's wrong, ask if
unruliness is due to something we can fix,
then time for lunch, if young a little recess-
try to get them settled down at that point!
Crisscross applesauce upon the carpet for a
story, then it's on to math and clean-up, lining
up for parents or the bus. Now the government's
shut down and neither side will "give." Perhaps
we need some subs to step into the mix, take
matters in their hands and find a way to make it right,
without the votes or pedigree but armed with common
sense and love of country over love of selfishness
and stubborn party interests, a substitute upon the Hill
would be the thing.

(c) Ellen Gillette, 2013