Skool Dudes

Xmastime buddy Serge HERE talks about being the only dad who volunteers at his daughter's classroom:

But then again, sometimes I can’t help but wonder if maybe a lot of dads just don’t try that hard to make it happen. I’m going to go out on a limb here — based on what I’ve seen in exactly ONE elementary school, mind you — but I have this sneaking suspicion that a lot of dads are unconsciously using the work/job thing as a free pass, as some kind of “Get out of Second Grade Valentine’s Day Party Free” Card, if you will.

After all, none of us have to dig too deep through our own history to say the same thing as the next guy, “Hey, my dad never came to my classroom when I was a kid.” Many of us probably went through 12 years of school and never ever saw our fathers show up in our classrooms except maybe once or twice to talk about operating a bulldozer or arresting bad guys on Career Day.

Which of course gives me a chance to point out a similar story in my book, which is for sale HERE, ohdeargodwillyoupleasebuyit?!!?!?!?!:

Once inside the classroom, I was startled to see three other men with kids.  I’d never seen one other guy in class before, much less three.  I quickly determined that they’d just lost their jobs, meaning here were three more dudes I’d have to compete against for a job when my Manny tour of duty soon ended.  Great.  Perfect timing.  I’d be going up against their Wall Street-packed résumés by having the goddam Cookie Monster as a reference.  And of course along with silent nods of acknowledgement they each gave me the "so, you too, huh?" look, as if I too was a victim of corporate downsizing and in their little country club.  I didn’t even bother giving them the "this is my two-hundred and fourteenth straight class - if the teacher gets assassinated in the middle of arts and crafts, guess who takes over?" look.