What did you expect?

How's your day going? I hope good. I thought I would share a bit of my day with you. This is a conversation I had with Phillip, a 7th grade special ed student today. Phillip is 4 foot 5 inches maybe, and weights 87 pounds which is more that his older sister or so he says. Nice eyes, soft voice, and a smile that says me pick me first in all situations.

"Hello, Phillip," me.

"Hello, Mr. Walden," Phillip.

"Didn't I see you yesterday Phillip?"

"Yes sir."

"What did you do yesterday."

"Told that boy that he was going to hell for lying."

"And what did I tell you about that?"

"Jesus saves."

"What else did you do?"

"I was out of my seat because there was a rat in the fan."

"But was there a rat in the fan?"

"No sir."

"Ms. Jones didn't like what you did, did she?"

"Well, no."

"You like me don't you Phillip?"

"Yes sir."

"If I treat you mean will you stay in class instead of my office?"

"You won't treat me mean, will you?"

"No, but tell me why you let me down each day and get in trouble by disrupting class, making up stories, and calling your teachers ugly names?"

"They deserve it. They treat me mean."

"Do you think they really treat you mean?"

"Yes they do."

"How?"

"They call me names and and talk about my momma."

"What names do they call you?"

"Pimp, Shorty, and BUG."

"BUG huh?"

"Yes, because I'm little."

"Do they really call you BUG?"

"Well, they call me roach."

"I'll see what I can do about that. What do they say about your momma?"

"They say she is a hoe and sales drugs."

"Phillip, do you know what a hoe is?"

"Yes, I'm not a kid."

"How old are you?"

"13"

"Does your mother sale drugs?"

"Not any more."

"Not any more?"

"My momma is dead."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's OK. That's what happens to you when you are a hoe and sale drugs."

And so it goes at the J.O.B. I hope your day goes better now.