The last shall be first and the first shall be last.

It's basketball season at Springwood Lakes and the ever so special "Faculty Appreciation Game" was tonight. For the uninitiated, "Faculty Appreciation Game" is the one game of the season where each player on the team is asked to approach a faculty member and invite him or her to the game as their guest. Well, lo and behold one of my kids came to me today and asked me to attend her basketball game tonight! Tonight! I must say, I had mixed emotions about the whole thing. While being flattered by the invitation, it was a little short notice and she wasn't really thinking if I had plans already. Yes, I know. I'm a teacher. My plans consist of grading and--well, grading, so it's not like I had a pressing social engagement or real reason not to go.

However, she did recognize that her request came at the last second and apologized. I inquired why she didn't ask me earlier and that's when the truth came out. It turns out that I wasn't her first choice. Heck, I wasn't even a close second. You see, she confessed that all her other teachers had backed out. That's when I muttered with disillusionment, "I'm... I'm... seventh?" I should have kept my mouth shut because there was more. This all too truthful student confessed to going to teachers that she had last year before she got to me.

Though I was more than a little disappointed, I wasn't about to disappoint her and I agreed to go. Besides, I had some grading I could take with me. Go team!