Influence 102

Oklahoma didn't have Kindergarten back in the '50s when we left, but our spring move to California meant I was blessed with a couple of months under the tutelage of my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Lincoln. I remember going with my mom on the first day... meeting new kids... nap time... snack time... and recess. Mrs Lincoln was a veteran teacher, and she was great with us kids in all kinds of situations.

One day, not long after I'd enrolled, the school maintenance crew installed a new slide on the kindergarten playground. Now you have to remember that this was 1956, so it wasn't one of those cool winding yellow plastic slides like you see in playgrounds today. No, it was a straight, metal slide... but it was tall... taller than any slide I'd ever been on. I know, I know, it probably wasn't actually as tall as it seemed to me at just short of 6 years, but I'm tellin' ya it was big, and I couldn't wait to climb up that ladder and fly down it's gleaming metal surface. Trouble is, the slide had just been installed, the concrete was still wet, and Mrs Lincoln said we were not allowed to get on our new slide until the next day.

Well, that afternoon at recess, we all played, but I don't remember what I did... all I could think of was the new slide... about how big it was... about how much fun it was gonna be. Well, recess ended and we all ran over to where we lined up to go back inside. Then, why I don't know, I stopped and detoured toward the slide. I climbed the ladder all the way to the top... I held on tight at the top as I scrambled into place... I hesitated just a bit and then pushed off down the shiny metal road to the playground sand. It was exhilarating... but I knew as soon as my feet hit the sand that I had messed up. I ran over and melted into the end of the line and went back into the classroom.

After we were all back inside Mrs Lincoln got an activity going and then called me over to her desk. She asked me why I had gone on the slide when I knew I was supposed to wait until the next day. I don't remember what I said, but I do remember what she said... something about her knowing I could do better and she would expect that out of me from that point on. I think I had to stand in the corner or something... which actually made me feel better... penance usually does, right? Other than that, it was over as far as Mrs Lincoln was concerned, and I was a model student the rest of what was left of the school year. As far as I knew Mrs Lincoln didn't even tell my mom about the slide incident.

I think I've remembered Mrs Lincoln and this incident so well and so long because I learned a couple of things that helped shape me as I got older. One is that there are usually good reasons for rules... even when cool slides are involved. The other is that wisdom includes knowing when to be tough and when to demonstrate grace. Thank you, Mrs Lincoln.

And... we had fun on that slide every day until summer vacation.