2007-06-23 Oh Fuck!

Today we had this huge family gathering. My grandma's family, to be precise. My grandma was there, one of her brothers, most of their children and their families. All in all we were 28 people, and I knew only seven by name, including my grandma, my mother and myself. All I can remember now are two more names, and these are people I've only seen once before. We went through the Aww, how much you've grown since you were a kid phase faster than I'd expected, so we had more time for the Remember the time when you [insert embarrassing story here] phase. Once that was done with, I relaxed and started to enjoy myself. I even played hide-and-seek with two of the kids (whose names I have forgotten by now. I'm so awful!).
Before I got there I was a little worried, because I'm not really close with these people. Now that it's over I must admit that I had more fun than I had expected. I'm even looking forward to the next gathering in a year or two. Not sooner, though.

***

When I came to my parent's place, I had a pleasant surprise waiting for me. To explain that, it's necessary to go two years back in time.
In the summer of 2005, when the ink on my diploma was still wet, I was thinking that maybe there was a teacher in me waiting to come to daylight. So after summer vacation I started a four week internship in a highschool. Under the eyes of a teacher I held math lessons in a 7th and a 9th grade. At the university, I have been a teaching assistant for several years, so I had more experience than most of the student teachers that started at the same time. However, dealing with 13 to 15 year old kids is quite different from dealing with students and I figured I still had much to learn. But my two classes and I got along pretty well, if I do say so myself, and I enjoyed the experience very much.
And yesterday, two years after I last showed my face in that school, their teacher called my parents and asked for me. She didn't know I moved out and she didn't have my cellphone number, so that's all she could do. Today I called her back and she told me that she needed a tutor for one of her pupils and his parents asked her to call me. How cool is that?!? Too bad I don't have time for these things anymore, with a job and a new home 80 km away...

***

Oh fuck!

I just gave this post its final polish when I heard a noise outside. It was exactly the kind of noise that made me remember I left my car out on the street instead of parking it in the yard as my mom told me to. "One day some bad kids will ruin your side mirror", she always says. And I, in my infinite foolishness, always ignore her. Guess what happened. Yeah, right. Bastards!
The guy who lives in the apartment under my parent's heard it, too. He was faster than me, got into his car and went after them. Unfortunately (and good for them!), he didn't find anyone. I may not like many people, but I happen to believe there is good in everyone. Well, things like that really put me to the test. Now I have a broken side mirror and a broken faith in today's youth. Whatever happened to the seven years of bad luck myth?
Okay, the mirror piece itself isn't broken, only the housing is damaged. I'm sure it's nothing that can't be fixed with enough duct tape and superglue. My perpetual MacGyver watching will finally pay off. Still, randomly kicking side mirrors sucks!