Third Grade Boys

Last night Andy asked me if I could come to school and have lunch with him today.  He doesn't ask me to do this very often, so I try to comply when he asks.  Unfortunately, I couldn't go because I had plans, so I told him we'd have to do it another day.  When my plans got cancelled this morning, I decided I would go and surprise him.

Amanda and I stopped by Chick-fil-A before we went.  That's really the main reason kids like their parents to come for lunch, they bring fast food with them.  We got there a little early because I didn't want Andy to buy lunch before we got there, so I picked some seats at the end of the table and got out all the food.

When the class arrived in the lunchroom (aka cafetorium - that's a cafeteria and auditorium combined into one room) several of the boys b-lined it to where Amanda and I were sitting.  Andy seemed to be the only one who didn't see us.  So, I sent his best buddy, Mark, to get him and let him know we were at the table.  He was so excited to see us, which always makes me smile.  

One boy came up to me and told me Andy's food was in his spot.  He sits there everyday.  Um, okay, sorry, so I pushed Andy's food to the other side of the table.  As soon as everyone got settled, they all started talking to me at once.  Five 8-9 year old boys talking about Angry Birds and Transformers and whatever else.

In the short 30 minutes I ate with them, they informed me that Megan Fox was the "hottest" woman on the planet (they might be right) and that an Angry Birds movie was coming out (not so sure about that one).  Towards the end of the meal Andy told me that he normally sits at the other end of the table.  Apparently I inadvertently messed us the seating arrangements of the entire class.  I just assumed they sat anywhere, but I guess they have their normal spots, give or take a few seats, and since we sat in a different place the kids that normally sat there had to find a different place and so on.  Except, of course, the kid who made me move Andy's food so he could have his seat.  He wasn't going to sit by and quietly watch someone sit in his seat.

By the end of the meal I was totally overwhelmed and overstimulated.  Too many kids talking to me at the same time in a very noisy, crowded cafetorium.  However, I really need to do it more.  It gives me a chance to meet some of the kids that Andy talks about and be with them at a time when they actually feel comfortable talking to me.  Plus, Andy really loves to have me there and he isn't going to feel that way forever.