SCENE 1, INTERIOR. MORNING, CLASSROOM. The students are just starting their classroom Christmas party and are excitedly playing the games planned by the ‘mother partying committee.’ As the kids rush about the classroom with their oranges on white plastic spoons, Joey’s mom approaches the teacher.
JOEY’S MOM: I just needed to tell you that I took Joey to the dollar store the other day to do his Christmas shopping.
TEACHER: Oh, that can be a lot of fun. How’d it go?
JOEY’S MOM: [Dropping her voice]. It went really well; he brought his own money and I just let him go around the store, getting gifts for all of his siblings—and for you.
[The teacher glances at the package of peanut brittle on his desk with Christmas well-wishing from Joey written on a tag of demented-looking elves. He turns back to Joey’s mom as she continues].
JOEY’S MOM: Well, we got out to the car and he started to pull things out of the plastic bags – he wanted to show me everything he’d bought for everyone…
[Joey’s mom stops and a smile creases her face as she glances at her son, who is now devouring a plate of nachos at his desk].
JOEY’S MOM: He pulled out his sister’s present…guess what it was?
[The teacher shrugs and Joey’s mom continues].
JOEY’S MOM: He bought her a toilet plunger!
TEACHER: [Somewhat speechless] A what?
JOEY’S MOM: A toilet plunger! I turned to him and said, ‘Joey, why on earth did you buy that for your sister?!’ Do you know what he said? [The teacher shrugs]. ‘It’s for her potty mouth.’
[The teacher breaks out laughing as Joey’s mom continues].
JOEY’S MOM: She doesn’t really swear, but she says a lot of words to make her feelings clear. Joey decided that a plunger is exactly what she needed to take care of it. And to think, he thought up her gift all by himself!
TEACHER: I’m not surprised. How do you think she’s going to react on Christmas morning when she opens it?
JOEY’S MOM: [With a chuckle] Well, I don’t know about her, but the rest of us will sure get a good laugh.
SCENE 2, INTERIOR. AFTERNOON, CLASSROOM. The students getting ready to leave for their Christmas break. The bell sounds and the teacher dismisses them. Joey lingers for a moment at his desk. His teacher approaches him.
TEACHER: So, a plunger?
JOEY: [Grinning] It’s what she needs; so I thought I’d get it for her. After all, she could really use it.
[The boy shoulders his backpack and gathers up his candy from the party and heads out he door offering a ‘Merry Christmas’ as he departs. The teacher stands for a moment or two more before shaking his head and laughing].
[Fade to black].
13 comments:
...so cute! :) I love kids!
Oh how I love the workings of a young mind. Think I now know what to put in some stockings this year.....
What a brilliant present. At least he didn't gift that to you for the same reason....
That Joey. I love the way his mind works. Maybe I'll put a bug in Lawson's ear, because I'm thinking Autumn could use a plunger gift from him. She's going through a phase (I'm no psychologist, but I'm kind of thinking she's working out some stifled aggression with this whole bullying thing--she can't bring herself to act upon her anger with her peers, but it's easy for her to act upon it with her brother, because subconsciously she knows he'll always love her) where she's very snappish and just kind of bossy with him. Hopefully she'll outgrow it soon when she realizes that he's not the target.
That story put a big smile on my face! Hilarious!
I guess it's better than coal, right?
There are a lot of young kids with potty mouths these days. They seem to think it makes them cool...good thing Joey doesn't see it as "cool" and maybe his sister mightthink about the way she is talking!
This did make me laugh!
Gotta love Joey!
Hilarious! I would love to be a fly on the wall on Christmas morning in that house...
Brilliant! Criminy that was funny!
Smart kid!!
I love what a fantastic relationship you have with the parents of your students. For me your classroom epitomizes what schooling should be: a partnership between parents and teachers.
C - It was pretty hysterical when it was told to me.
B - If the plunger fits...
L - Well..
L - Duct tape can also work wonders (not that I'm implying anything, of course).
A - That's the result it had for me, too. Only I broke out laughing as well.
G - Or reindeer poop.
KJ - I can only hope that she does. And you're right about Joey...he just makes you laugh.
N - I'd love to do the same.
R - I wonder if I were ever that funny as a kid. Probably not.
T - Amen to that.
V - With most parents it is; however, there are a few who are not quite there with the whole 'working together' thing.
"Moments With Joey" are some of my favs, thanks for sharing!
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