The Home Visit

I am required to visit homes of the children I teach.  Friday, I went to one boy’s home to meet with his parents.  It was a good visit.  Another student in the class lives across the street.  She had been absent due to illness so I thought since I was in the neighborhood I would drop off her papers and newsletter to her mother. I also had a short survey I needed to take for the office.  I knocked on the door and I heard a muffled, “Come in!”  I slowly opened the door saying loudly, “Hello! It’s Shelly, your daughter’s (I named her) teacher.”  The father greeted me and I introduced myself, shaking his hand, since I had not met him yet.  I told him I was glad to hear his daughter was feeling better and handed him a pile of papers.  I went on to ask him if I could ask him 4 questions for a short survey.  He complied.  I completed my four and a half minute visit and turned to go.  He spoke up and said I may have the wrong child.  What?!!!  He told me that the girl I was looking for lived next door.  Oh NO!!! I got the wrong house?!  I apologized profusely and tried to back away slowly groping for the door handle, hoping this gentlemen would not call the troopers. He handed me the child’s papers.  The Chief’s voice spoke to me clearly through my invisible earphone and told me to properly introduce myself.  I turned around held my head up high and hand out to him again and announced, “Hello, let me formally introduce myself.  I am Shelly, the new white teacher who doesn’t know where the children in her class live!  This is my way of meeting the neighbors in my new village! I am honored to meet you, sir!”  If he told me his name, I would not have remembered it!  He began to chuckle and I graciously backed out of the house, thanking him for his hospitality.  Fortunately, no troopers showed up on my doorstep.  I am sure I was the talk of the village all weekend!  After I told a couple native ladies my story, they figured out whose house I went to and they agreed.  The white woman would be the talk of the village all weekend!