I was forced to write today's column because
I just saw a lizard, white and about a few inches
long, running horizontally along my bedroom wall.
It is a good measure of my Asia Chic that I viewed
it with utter detachment, in an otherwise perfectly clean and modern home.
When Joe spotted his first lizard, orange andequally
large, running over his bed at our Mirador Mansions hotel, he was not so experienced in the ways of exotic foreign travel.
Why did this all force me to write?
Because I had already gone to bed, about to read
a really intriguing book about the British in Hong Kong 1840 - 1880, and the lizard caused me to open the windows
around my bed, hoping and praying that the fresh air would draw the little life out into the open.
Of course, I shut the bedroom door, and went back
into the living room to work right now.
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The day was full of Chinese children.
There was something strange in the air as my Chinese helper,
a wonderfully sensitive and efficient girl, and myself, had to break up two fights in two different classrooms.
In the first class, a little girl burst out crying and would
not stop. We saw no signs of aggressive behaviour and went quickly to investigate and halt the tears.
Her drawing illustrating the letters P and B lay tragically
scrunched and crumpled, pointing only to the little girl beside her!
I was short on Winnie The Pooh stickers, yet could not control
my lavishness in the face of steady sobbing.
My helper strove to get the bottom of the matter with subtle
Cantonese questions.
I returned to orchestrating a massive Draw In of all
words beginning with P and B. Ten minutes later, our brave
girl with a fresh drawing and a new sticker, joined the others.
The second was worse, much worse.
I wonder if other ESL teachers have noticed this, that the
return of cooler weather affects the energies in the classroom, and the kids less dampened by oppressive heat had so much
more energy.
We got them through a full round of phonetics, music,
gesture games, and were almost to the end of the day, lining them up to meet waiting parents, when a boy threw himself dramatically
on the hard floor, curled into a ball as though under dreadful onslaught, and began howling and wailing.
He was in so much pain that he could not name his attacker,and
my assistant drew the full story out of the other children, shocked that the crying boy would not stop.
It was a dramatic story.
The naughty boy had a good knowledge of fighting for he attacked
the other in the worst part of the body that any male can be kicked in!
The head of the school ran up to see what was going on, summoning
both boys to her office. I walked the victim, when he was able to stand up, which really took some time, to the courtyard,
and gave all the rest of the Winnie the Pooh stickers.
I realize there are those who might think that victims
of others should not get special treats, yet I am a Canadian woman, and a soft person, and that's how it is with me.
The physical pain seemed to be quite immense, for when it was
over, the brave child showed no more whimpering.
Still with the Chinese school administration taking the situation
into their capable hands, I knew that matters would be handled to prevent events such as this happening.
My helper and I promised a new policy next week, and encouraged
the wounded children to return, feeling happy about their classes.
After three hours in the subway system, I ended up meeting
Joe for new Jodie Foster film, Flight Plan, which I recommend to all, at least it is far better than the tepid review I noted
in the local paper.
Back to the lizard, to check it out.
