More Christmas Program Memories.... (Whole DIFFERENT kind of tissue warning)

My 6th grade teacher had a son, Erik, who had albinism (apparently saying Albino isn't PC). The fairest skin and white white hair, and the palest blue eyes you have ever seen. And even in Nordic Minnesota, he stood out in a crowd.

He was in Kindergarten the year I was in 6th grade.

The time had come for our Christmas Program. (If you read yesterday's post - it was the same program) Our music teacher informed us "big kids" the day before our program that we were to sit in the bleachers QUIETLY while waiting for our turn to sing. No matter WHAT the little kids did, we were to be QUIET. Pretty much under penalty of death.

The night came and we were sitting in the bleachers. The little kindergartners wandered onto the stage to do their traditional selections of Jingle Bells, Rudolph & Frosty. Somewhere towards the end of Jingle Bells, Erik started picking his nose. And not just a discrete swipe, but a full-on archaeological DIG of his nose. After some time he apparently found his treasure as he was clearly admiring SOMETHING on the end of his finger. He gazed at it fondly for a few minutes while we tried SO HARD not to laugh.

Soon, the "item" at the end of his finger lost his interest, and he shook his finger to remove it. But.. being a typical item, it stuck. He shook harder. It stuck. He shook SUPER hard... and yet that stubborn "item" would NOT be moved.

Being the wise boy that he was, he quickly figured out the solution to his problem. He turned to his neighbor, wiped his finger down his neighbor's sleeve, and continued right on singing Frosty the Snowman with his class.

We couldn't help it. We all lost it. The whole 6th grade. Busted out laughing.

Our music teacher's head wiped around to face us, and the death daggers coming from her eyes promised that we wouldn't see recess for at LEAST a month.

The next day we filed into music class, knowing full well we were about to get an EARFUL...

"WHAT EXACTLY WAS SO FUNNY THAT YOU HAD TO DISRUPT THE ENTIRE PROGRAM?"

We all looked at each other. Who would be the one brave enough to explain what had happened? Chan took the bull by the horns. He respectfully stood up, and explained, in full detail with accompanying hand motions, what had taken place.

Not ONLY did the music teacher turn some shades of red I've never seen as she laughed, she JOINED us outside for recess that afternoon.

I guess we were forgiven.