Geronimo! part 2 of 2

I was doing this for myself. When was the next time was I was going to get a chance to dive off of the roof of a houseboat into the waters just off the coast of Hong Kong? I would have done it even if there was no one there to see. But I must confess that at the same time I was well aware of the fact that I surrounded by Nick and Jonathan and Filipe and a bunch of the other hot shot boys from the eighth grade.

A teacher’s career can rise or fall on his or her reputation. A good reputation is achieved slowly over the years. There are no shortcuts. A good reputation is never the goal, but it is a byproduct of years of doing right by kids. It is earned little by little one day at a time in the classroom and in the hallways. But once in awhile, life provides you with an opportunity while on top of houseboat in the middle of a bay to solidify your reputation –at least in the eyes of a certain demographic of fourteen year old boys.

All this was in the back of my mind while I was trying to convince myself that I could do this. That I needed to do this. Just imagine it’s 1983, you’re back at the Civic Center pool. You’ve done this before. Nothing has changed –other than the extra forty pounds you need to adjust for.

I was thinking that one day in the not-so-distant future, I will be too old to do this.

But that day is not today.

So with a few too many eyes on me, I took a deep breath and dove. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t elegant. But I didn’t damage any major organs. I had faced my middle-aged fears and overcome them –at least this time.

And yes, it certainly didn't hurt my reputation either. I may be the teacher who is forever mixing up Justin Wong and Jason Wong. I may be the teacher who doesn't give out nearly enough detentions. I may be the teacher who gives back tests the next week instead of the next day.

But I am also the teacher who dove off the roof of the houseboat.

Wow. The things I do for a paycheck.

-Jack

Now if I could just find some scrap wood and an old Schwinn. There was this one summer when I was about twelve and the neighbor kid and I built this bike jump . . . .