Amazing is a word I hear a lot. People toss it around to describe their vacation, or entree, or haircut.
But I am too tired to reach such a high bar. Most of my days involve ordinary pursuits like taking a shower, and picking up spilled buttons, and helping my costume students remember to use the good scissors on fabric and the junky ones on cardboard.
Last week one of my students made a comment. He is a junior boy, and one I might expect to see on an athletic field instead of beside of a sewing machine. He lingers after class to finish the straps on his bag, or the embellishment on his hat. When a project is finished, and we all clap, I can tell he is smiling even behind his mask.
"Mrs. Odhner, you should start a club. We would come."
I was stunned. An ordinary enough thing to say, and yet at the same time revolutionary. Not only does he like playing with velvet, he wants to do more if it.
After the next class he was the last to leave. He seemed to want to say something.
"You have a lot of pearl necklaces. They are so nice."
It is indeed true, that the bins of costume jewelry are bursting. There is not a show yet written in which we would need them all.
"You can have one," I offered. He looked, well, amazed.
"Really?" I brought out the tub and he carefully lifted one after another, checking the length against his neck. "This is the one."
Driving home I listened to the news about the plight of refugees, and thought of how dirty they must feel after trekking across South America. Probably a chance to wash in privacy would be amazing. I saw my student waiting for the city bus. His very own tote bag was slung over his shoulder, the one he is proud of. I could make up stories about how much money his family does or doesn't have. But today he is pleased to have an ordinary pearl necklace.
