prom promise
May 19, 2002, 2:49 a.m.

Few things make me cry...okay, EVERYTHING makes me cry, but tonight...well, tonight was special.

Jerry is my absolute favorite student. I had him for English 12 this semester, and to be completely honest, I didn't like him much at the beginning of the semester.

He was one of those kids who could do so much better, but opted to slack off. He was a screw-up in my speech class when he should have been the best kid in there. He passed the first marking period, but he should have aced it. These types of students are the most frustrating for me to deal with.

The second marking period saw a big change in Jerry. When we started English Literature, his ears perked up. He volunteered to read all the time, and he was good. When he read Beowulf's boastful speech to Hrothgar as he entered Herot, the entire class held their breath until he was finished. He was my Macbeth, and he even read in a Scottish accent! Here was a kid who wouldn't say boo to me during speech, but every day started dropping by or talking to me about something outside of school.

I gave each of my seniors a book, but Jerry received two. I gave him Macbeth because he needed his own copy, and I gave him Othello because he loves Shakespeare, and O is my favorite. He cried when I presented them to him in front of our class.

Tonight at the prom, I was stacking the picture frame favors when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around, and Jerry took a deep bow, took my hand, and with great ceremony and delicacy, led me to the dance floor. "Ms. B," he said as he touched his forehead to mine and we swayed to the music, "You're one of three teachers that I've had that I've liked. I showed my mom the books you gave me and she cried. You know Ms. B, I'm going to come back to see you a lot. I'm going to miss you. Thanks. Oh Ms. B, don't cry."

Yeah, I started crying.

Thank you, Jerry. You are the reason that I love my job the way I do.