My second graders were lined up at the door, each of them giving me a squeeze as they said goodbye. Or, "goodbye forever," in the case of my more dramatic kids. Given my height (very short), I have encountered a few awkward hugs over the years that involve accidental touching of the chest. Fortunately, the kids never notice. In fact, even in the times where I expect the child to pull away embarrassed, they have been oblivious. Until today, when one of those second graders reached up (I assumed he was going to try to hug my neck instead of my waist) and put both hands on "the girls." I looked down in confusion to find him pretending to look the other direction as if he had no idea what he was doing. In a flash, the "hug" was over and I stood there, dumbfounded as the rest of the class made their way through the line.
Let's play devil's advocate...
- He really was trying to hug my neck, but gave up halfway.
- He was trying to hug and push me at the same time.
- He was stretching.
- He has never hugged a woman. Ever.
Acknowledging the four possibilities above, I believe the following details make a strong case against his innocence. As previously mentioned, he approached me with arms up. His hands then landed with a small thud against my chest at armpit level and from there, they gradually slid downward an inch or two. It was at this point I realized it was no accident and saw him attempting to avert his eyes.
Another memorable year and another memorable moment.