The Unforeseen Outcome

So as we were supervising students during lunch lime, a student pulled out from her back-bag a piece of chocolate cake she had made from scratch the previous night. She was so pleased with her baking skills. “Ms. F! Look, I baked this last night. Taste it”. Looking at a piece of cake inside a small hamburger zip log bag, I had a million things running through my mind. I always do not eat anything from my students. Please don’t judge me. Not because I do not trust them, but because most of them do not practice personal hygiene. This was from a student that rumors have been going around that she has “visitors” in her hair. So I played along because I did not want to disappoint her enthusiasm over her accomplishments. I have seen her. She has had a rough upbringing, with a humble background but loving parents that cares greatly for her. They never miss any meeting, they receive all school phone calls. They are extremely supportive. The mothers always looking for ways to support her daughter as well as her teachers. She spent money on her unapologetically. She, in turn, is a discipline and a very hard-working, and respectful student. She loves her parents, always talking highly of them. She also loves her teachers, always giving us several hugs in a day. Even if it means having her mama wait for her at the end of the school day.

So back to the cake. Trying to distract her, “the cafeteria lines, are going to be longer if you don’t hurry to get your lunch”. Not wanting to give up, she insisted “I want you to taste it, Ms. F”. “Ok, but there is no spoon”. Further offering excuses and prolonging the situation. I wonder if I was going to get out it this time. I have succeeded with such cases before with excuses like ‘I am full’, or ‘I got a sweet tooth’ or ‘I do not like sweets or chocolates’. While strategizing for my next move, or my next excuse because I really do not want to eat something I do not know the ingredients used in the recipe and if the environment where it was baked in was clean. I know I am particular or extremist as you may call it. Well, my student was not giving up on me. She said she was going to get the spoon. I was hoping she would line up and get her lunch and forgot about the spoon. I went to check on other students. It wasn’t even a minute, “here is the spoon, now taste it”. Handing me the spoon and the cake. Being corned and with disbelief, I reluctantly received the spoon open the zip log back to scope a piece of chocolate cake. I thought I was going to throw up the minute it hit my mouth. To my surprise, the cake was really good. “You made this?” I yelled out not believing my taste buds and a change of heart toward the perfection of this chocolate cake and all the effort she put into it to ensure success. Before I knew it, I was going for a second helping and requesting a recipe. “It is three eggs and a half and one water….” Knowing her, there was no way she could tell me all the ingredients by memory, leave alone the measurements, I just say “thank you” and “please go write it down with the help of your mother and bring it to me tomorrow. Please do not forget”. I guess I will be getting my recipe tomorrow and I am going to try and bake my student’s cake. Thank God the day ended up well with both parties happy. I did not get diarrhea, I did not die, and my student was happy that her favorite teacher liked the cake she made from scratch. This reminds me again of why I love being a teacher.