Therapy
I wake up, eat a quick breakfast, brush my teeth, and put on my clothes for work. I grab my suitcase and check it to make sure my laptop, charger, and headphones are still there. I open my driver’s side car door, put my suitcase on the floor of the passenger seat and drive to work.
I turn the dial to 90.1 FM.
“Live for your morning news, its NPR”
“Hundreds of scientists from around the world just announced earlier today to expect more heat waves, floods, and hurricanes due to unprecedented changes in global temperature. Voting rights in states across the country are being curtailed as the US sanctions nations not implementing fair elections. Tech companies argue they have no responsibility to uphold accuracy in support of free speech and protestors in Beijing cover their face to protect from facial recognition software.
Now for other breaking news, an egg just became the most liked picture in Instagram history, receiving over 18 million likes. Isn’t it “Egg-Citing”?
I shake my head and pull up to the gates of my job, scan my ID card, and look for a parking spot as close as possible to the front door. Checking my watch. 8:20. Five minutes late, but not too bad.
Before I open my car door I close my eyes to say a quick prayer.
I pray that I am able to make a positive impact with my thoughts, words, and actions. Amen. Ase.
I open the school doors and walk in, greeting other teachers on the way to my classroom. It’s almost funny how many times you say “Hey watsup, How’s it going?” when you walkin in the school building.
I count at least eight before I make it to my office. I sit down at my desk, open my laptop, and look over my lesson for the day. Today we’re annotating Megan Thee Stallions Op-Ed in the NY Times and talking bout intersectionality, power and privilege. I think about the discussions we’ll have.
Ding. Ding.
The first bell rings, signaling class time. I bounce nervously on the balls of my feet, a catlike agility from my short-lived high school basketball career.
I step outside my door to greet my incoming sixth grade students. “Good morning” “How’s it going?”, “Watsup”, I say as I dap each scholar up before they enter my room. Gotta let ’em know I’m glad to see em.
“Mr. Cole, how come you only wear like five outfits?” A high pitched voice asks from the back of the line.
You can hear snickers as the scholars look back at Joshua, one of the wittiest kids in the building.
I smile, looking forward to our daily ritual. “Misterrr Cole, how come you only wear like five outfits?” I mimic, mocking his high pitched voice. “Josh, I thought yo mama told you to be prepared for school. You brought everything you needed but yo hair line.” Some of his friends start laughing,
“Mr. Cole, I got a serious question.” Josh says, not easily outdone. I smile again, knowing it’s not. Before I can respond, he says “Why you look like a cartoon character?” I laugh. He does too. And keeps going. “I mean we have to wear uniforms but what’s your excuse? And how you spose to be setting a good example for us, leading us in the world, and college with that crooked hairline you got? They ain’t teach you in college that you spose to go to the barbershop AT LEAST every two weeks?” He looks at me to see if I’m still smiling. I am. His classmates start laughing and I don’t blame ’em. The kid is funny. “Well for you, every week cuz woooh!”, he says pointing at my overgrown fro. I keep laughing.
“Josh” I say, “you know I was way cooler than you when I was in sixth grade right?”, I say, lying.
“Sure Mr. Cole”, he says, mocking my deep voice, “Just like you think you cool now right?”
I smirk. “Come on in class man, We got alot to do today.”
I walk to the front of the room after everyone is seated.
“Good morning Class”, I say.
“Good morning Mr. Cole”, I hear in response.
“Alright ya’ll so who wants to lead the affirmation today?”. I smile as I hear “Ooh ooh me!”, “Mr. Cole, I haven’t got to say it yet!”, and “Man, he said it last time!”
I call on one of my quieter students to say it today. “Alright class, drop the beat!” The scholars start beating on their desks rhythmically and the affirmation starts in call and response.
I have only just a minute!
I have only just a minute!
Only sixty seconds in it!
Only sixty seconds in it!
Forced upon me can’t refuse it!
Forced upon me can’t refuse it!
Didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it!
Didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it!
But it’s up to me to use it!
But it’s up to me to use it!
I must suffer if I lose it!
I must suffer if I lose it!
Give an account if I abuse it!
Give an account if I abuse it!
I have only just a minute!
I have only just a minute!
I have only just a minute!
I have only just a minute!
But eternity is in it.
But eternity is in it!
“How many of ya’ll heard of Megan Thee Stallion?”, I say when the class is done.
I see snickers, shy looks, and raised hands.
“Oh come on I know ya’ll know who she is! Who don’t?” Some sheepishly begin to nod now.
“The reason I’m asking is cuz today we’re gonna read the op-Ed she wrote in the New York Times. And we gone talk about it. Open your laptops, log into Google classroom and start reading independently. We’ll have our discussion in fifteen minutes.
I turn on Erykah Badu while they read. I look at them. Most reading. Some looking off into space. That is until we make eye contact. I walk around the room.
Ring Ring Ring.
My timer goes off. Fifteen minutes.Time to talk.
We sit in a circle and have a serious discussion about patriarchy, misogyny, and why everyone should be a feminist.
I check my watch and see the time. 9:50. Time for them to switch classes. I stand up and ask them to go back to their groups, putting on my “It’s time to get you all to your next class on time so you can get the knowledge you need to continue this work when you leave this building” voice.
“Group 1, line up, you’re ready, Group 2, put those laptops in your book bag, Group 3, clean that trash up off the ground, Group 4, I need you silent before you line up, Group 5, you’re ready. Group 6, I look at Joshua and smirk. “What Mr. Cole?”, he says, ready for me to make another joke. I shake my head. “Nothing”, I say.
“Group 6, you’re ready to line up too.”
Chairs scrape, scholars stand, and book bags close and open.
“Alright ya’ll are dismissed! Have a great day and be prepared to write tomorrow! I want to hear yall’s reflection from the lesson today!”
“Bye Mr. Cole!”, I hear.
“See you later”!
The scholars leave my room and Josh, being in group six, looks back at me before he leaves my classroom. He looks around the room to make sure none of his friends are there.
“Mr. Cole”, he says, with a slight smirk, “You’re one of the coolest teachers I know.”
I smile back. “You too.”
