This afternoon I was jumping through completing one of the endless checkout hoops errands that teachers must when I passed a couple of custodians emptying trash cans full of trash and clothing from lockers that the students had supposedly already cleaned out.
"Have a good summer!" I wished them.
"Thank you," one answered. "Are you coming back?"
I looked down the hallway I had just returned from, and assuming she meant the locking double doors I no longer had a key for, shook my head.
Her eyes grew wide. "You're not coming back?" she repeated.
Realizing that she meant next year, I laughed and shrugged. "Oh no! I'm coming back! You can't get rid of me that easily."
She gave an exaggerated sigh of relief, which made me feel very appreciated. "How long have you been here, anyway?" she asked.
"26 years!" I told her, and this time her gasp was real.
"Isn't it time for you to retire?" she replied, only half kidding.
It was probably one of the worst possible days to ask me that particular question, but damn if I didn't answer without hesitation.
"Nope!"
"Have a good summer!" I wished them.
"Thank you," one answered. "Are you coming back?"
I looked down the hallway I had just returned from, and assuming she meant the locking double doors I no longer had a key for, shook my head.
Her eyes grew wide. "You're not coming back?" she repeated.
Realizing that she meant next year, I laughed and shrugged. "Oh no! I'm coming back! You can't get rid of me that easily."
She gave an exaggerated sigh of relief, which made me feel very appreciated. "How long have you been here, anyway?" she asked.
"26 years!" I told her, and this time her gasp was real.
"Isn't it time for you to retire?" she replied, only half kidding.
It was probably one of the worst possible days to ask me that particular question, but damn if I didn't answer without hesitation.
"Nope!"
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