two odd stories from the life of a guy who visits elementary schools with a gigantic monkey (in this case, both involve the schools, and neither involves the monkey):

first one, about three this afternoon...
i've been working with an elementary school teacher via the phone for about 3 months or so, and i was meeting this person for the first time today, speaking at his weekly teachers meeting.

so anyway, i met him, and introduced myself, and he said 'kevin, it's so good to meet you.' ...

and i let it pass...

and the meeting was getting started, and he said to the teachers: 'kevin's here to ...'

and so, while normally, i begin things like this by introducing myself, this time i just cut to the chase...what's a dude to do?

- - - -

this morning, i was at a small christian school - 26 students in five (K-4) grade levels small, that is. and i was there for their day-opening assembly, which begins with 'who wants to make the first prayer request?' and things of that nature. so they made their prayer requests (tsunami victims, their families, military people, things in need of prayers, y'know?) and, before the pledge, the principal explained that they should also try to pray for 'a very special person to replace me. i was on the phone last night, and i heard about another school in iowa who needs my help. so let's pray that we find a very special person to come to our school.'

and, before they did the pledge, and before they introduced me (and, by extension, the monkey), they sang an incredible 'happy birthday to you' to a fellow student:

happy birthday to you.
happy birthday to you.
happy birthday dear magnus (editor: yes, magnus)
happy birthday to you.

how o-old are you?
how o-old are you?
how o-old are you-ou?
how o-old are you?

'10.'

may you have many more.
may you have many more.
may you have many mo-o-re.
may you have many more.

and then they applauded.

and then the oddly hypnotic song, combined with the foreign environment and the odd farewell address, creeped me out.

but then we brought the monkey out, and everyone was happy. (although, it should be noted, not as happy as other schools sometimes are.)