Senile yet?

Work Time. Everyone's actually working really quietly, including me at my desk. The radio's playing quietly... & then the song SUPERFREAK comes on.

Me: Hey you guys, anyone seen Little Miss Sunshine?
Class: Um... no...
Me: Oh man, you should! It's so funny!
J: I thought it was boring.
Me: WHAT? No, what about the part at the end where the little girl is dancing to this song? Or when the van is like: MEEEP MEEEEEEEEEP! So FUNNY! And the other drivers are like, shaking their hands and the guy's like shrugging! And the van won't start, and the whole family has to push it and run after it? HILARIOUS!!
Class: (looks on in quiet amusement)
T: (really nicely, as if he's a little worried that I'm losing my mind) Um, Miss Backes? Didn't you say you didn't want us to interrupt one another? And... aren't you kind of interrupting us now?
Me: Oh my gosh, you're right! Get back to work!
J: Oh Ms. Backes.....


I find it almost unbearably charming when kids treat me like I'm just this side of senile. They seem so nervous and encouraging, like if they say just the right thing they can keep me from losing it altogether.


*


C: (murmur murmur)
Me: Okay, Caden, time for you to move!
C: Oh man! It's all your fault, Trent, for making me talk to you!
Me: Yes, that really was awful of him to force air across your vocal chords.
T: I did! I used my Jedi Mind Powers!
K: Star Wars is GAY!
T: (without missing a beat) See? I made you say that!