Friday, April 27, 2007

The Near-Miss First Kiss

I've been subbing grade two this week. There is one particular girl who has captured my heart in a way that something you love so much you almost hate can. She's a tattler, overly emotional, the first one to complain, the last one to help clean up. She's constantly chatting, is bossy, and talks at a volume so loud, I've considered buying the entire class earmuffs to save their little ears. In short, she's me- 17 years ago.

She screeched in with her hello's this morning and followed it up with ...

Girl: Miss V! Miss V! I got to tell you something. Really big news!

Me: Sounds exciting! What is this news? (For the record, the last 'news' she shared with me was that she recently touched the leg of a dead moose and it made her feel 'weird'. Don't ask for more details because trust me, neither of us has the time. Needless to say, I tried hard not to giggle..)

Girl: Well Miss V, I've been trying to get my first kiss for a while and I almost caught it!

Me: You almost caught a kiss?

Girl: Yes. I got Matthew on the floor of the bus before the bus driver started yelling. I'm going to get him today though and then I will have it.

Me: Did Matthew want you to kiss him?

Girl: I don't know, but I need to do it anyway because I've got to get my first kiss from someone and he's the best at Sparkle (a spelling game), so it's got to be him. Plus, I really like him a lot and I don't care who knows it.

(I put on my teacher hat and try to gently discourage a follow up to this near-miss first kiss when Matthew enters..)

Girl: Hey Matthew. I'm going to catch that kiss at recess. I just missed your lips, before but I'm going to get you still!

It's in this moment where I realize how different my little friend and I are. Though we are both loud, chatty and prone to hurt feelings, I would never have the nerve to try to catch a kiss from a guy. Chasing's just not my style. I suspect despite all the talks, warnings, and 'looks' from the teachers, she will get her kiss. And it will be great because she wanted it, she went for it, and she got it.

Her first kiss will be exactly how she wants it to be.

I can only cross my fingers for Matthew.

22 comments:

JustRun said...

I'm frightened for both of them. :)

Anonymous said...

Her future looks very daunting!

Anonymous said...

omg i love her! she's so adorable. i wish i had the nerve to go catch my kiss.

Chica said...

Cutest story ever! "I really like him a lot and I don't care who knows it"!

I like the idea of catching a kiss. Meh, I suppose I would!

x

megabrooke said...

ha, the moose story.
good for her for being assertive. she has some balls that little one.

Anonymous said...

coffee

all over the monitor

my new mantra: gonna go catch me a kiss

Anonymous said...

Um...moose?

Poor Matthew...God help us all in 20 years when she is out on her on...that's going to be a force to be reckoned with...

aRbit said...

Poor Matthew. Maybe 20 years from now, he'll count himself as lucky :)

Nikki Neurotic said...

I caught a kiss at my 8th grade dinner dance...it was my good friend Frank. And he ran away. I was crushed.

Fast forward to 12th grade and I find out he's gay. It's all good.

Carrie said...

AW - catching a first kiss? How adorable! But seriously, 2nd grade? Whatever happened to cooties?

Mel said...

ha I love it! The world needs forward women to make a statment. Start em young ;)

Beth said...

Too cute! In second grade, I thought boys were gross! Times sure have changed!

Bre said...

Dude. I want my daughters (you know, if I can ever talk a guy into procreating with me) to be sassy just like her!

Anonymous said...

That is adorable!!!! I predict she'll do well in life!

Melissavina said...

Great post! Man, second grade is so different than it used to be. The most scandalous thing I can remember is someone saying "butt" and getting in trouble.

Anonymous said...

Ahhh! Second grade...I wanted to kiss Mark Hammil. I had the biggest crush on him. Hence the fact I like them blonde and blue eyed....

Michelle Lara said...

that is hilarious! I was very much like this little girl =) In kindergarten I used to chase this boy Richard across the playground every day until one day, I finally caught my kiss ;)

Jennifer said...

Oh how I love 2nd graders!

What a great story...I wish her luck in all of her "endeavors."

Sara said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I loved your post, it especially made me laugh because my son is called Matthew and is in year 2 (he's 7) he has a couple of overly enthusiastic kissers in his class too!

Appletini said...

I LOVE this story! It made me laugh out loud :) Thanx for stopping by my blog,and yes, I had thoughts of running her over with my car :P (j/k)

Ruby Tuesday said...

This is so beautiful - she sounds like such a firebrand...I love it!

Anonymous said...

I gave her some tongue! :P