The Teacher's Lounge

Last Thursday night was the girls' school PTA meeting.  I tried to attend these meetings every month to help out with what is going on around the school.  To be honest, if it weren't for the PTA and Booster Club at our school, there would be no extra anything at the school.  It would be teach the kids, go home.  There would be no family picnic, or Halloween parade.  No music teacher for the Kinders and first graders.  The parents really do the fundraising to get what we need for the school.  Including extra teachers.   I like to attend the meetings to know what's going on and what needs to be done.  It's great that I can be more involved now than I have been in the past since all three girls are at the same school.  That does not mean I want to be president of the PTA, however, so don't get any ideas.  I just want to help out.  It  is also how I got roped into being in charge of hospitality for the meetings.  You know, because I felt like I had five minutes in my life that weren't quite filled up yet.  Done!

Actually, the hospitality job isn't that difficult.  I just have to set up tables and paper goods before the meetings once a month.  I also have to buy drinks and make sure people who come to the meetings bring a food item to share pot luck style.  Easy enough. 

Last week was my first time doing it.  Lana had gymnastics for an hour, so after I dropped her off I took Sonya and Georgia with me to the school.  I figured I'd put them to work with helping set up.  It is nice having older kids who can actually help you with such things now.  It's not like they are just another obstacle in a stroller I have to contend with anymore.  (Although, yes, I sometimes still miss those obstacles.)  

They helped to carry the drinks and the ice in.  They helped me set up the tables and put out paper goods.  Since the meeting wasn't going to be for a few hours, I had to put the sodas and ice in the teacher's lounge refrigerator.  I told the girls to follow me, that we were going to the teacher's lounge.  This was met with an excited Sonya who said,

"Oh wow!  I've never gotten to go in the teacher's lounge before!"  

She acted like I was taking her to Disneyland.  I didn't get it, but whatever.  I opened the door to the room and since I have been in there many times before I knew it looked like any break room in any workplace.  Tables to eat at, fridge, sink, coffee pot.  That's pretty much it.  Nothing too exciting.  This, however, was not at all what Sonya was expecting.  

As soon as she walked into the room, the giant smile she had on her face fell.  Then she said, 

"This is IT??!!"

"Yeah, why?" I asked.

"I really thought there would be a jacuzzi in here," she said.

Yes, I burst into laughter.  How could I NOT?

"What?  Why would you think there was a jacuzzi in here?" I asked her.  As far as I knew teachers weren't ever roaming the halls of the school in wet bathing suits with towels wrapped around them.

"I don't know," she shrugged.  "I just did."

As I continued to chuckle, she checked out the rest of the room.  

"Ok, there's coffee, I thought that would be here.  But there's no bottles of wine," she said more to herself.

"Wait, wait-you thought there would be bottles of wine AND a jacuzzi in here?" I asked.  Honestly her teacher's lounge sounded pretty kick ass, if you ask me.  

She nodded yes.  Then I asked her,

"Sonya, what else did you think would be in here?"

She looked at me, hesitated and said, "Ummm...Nooottthhiingg..."

Which I knew meant she had something else in mind, but didn't want to say.  Well, since I had laughed out loud at her other thoughts, I guess I couldn't blame her.  

"No really," I encouraged her. "Tell me what else."

"Well," she began.  " I thought there was a big closet full of fancy dresses that the teachers put on and walked around here in, before they quick changed to go back to class."

My daughter has quite the imagination.  

"Nope," I told her.  "It's just a place for the teachers to come and eat their lunch while you guys are having your lunch.  Not really to exciting huh?"

"No," she admitted.  

I think she was pretty disappointed. She was really expecting some kind of Shangri-La.  It's funny how build things up in our mind that we know nothing about.  Especially kids.  Then again, this should make future talks about things like Santa Clause and the Tooth fairy a little easier.  All I will have to say is "remember that time when you thought the teacher's lounge had a jacuzzi? Well..."