Whew! I spoke more yesterday than I probably do in a month
total, but it was so worth it. I was able to talk with every English student at
the high school. Originally, I thought it would be a class here and
there but ended up being all classes for all seven periods. There were the
usual comments/questions of how to start writing, reading/writing is boring,
what do you do when you get writer’s block, how much money do you make, and how
long does it take.
Another series of questions were about my hobbies, Harleys, martial
arts, what I do for a living, etc. The funniest question was, “Why
do you write if you are not getting paid?” We did have a fair amount
of fun with that one. One student actually caught me off guard with
one question, “So what happened with Roy and the rattlesnake?” She
had opened to a random page and read the entry I wrote about my friend Roy Horn
and how he was bitten by a rattlesnake as a boy and lost his leg below the
knee. I told every class that someone would do or say something that
would inspire me to write about the experience, and they did indeed.
Some of the memorable moments for me include the overall courtesy of
the staff students and people of Giddings, there were no baggy pants, no one
yelling or acting up, firm handshakes from the boys and girls, and the kids
that stayed after to ask questions. The one standout moment though
was the young man that asked me a question in the sixth period session, “Do you
ever reread anything you have read or written and do I relive the situation
when I reread it?” I answered the question that yes it does speak to
me different as my life is different from the original reading to the second or
third reading.” I could not really elaborate as we ran out of
time. Well, he found me again last night at the gala, and said, “I
was the one that asked you the question about rereading and
reliving.” I could tell from his body language that he either has
experienced or is experiencing reliving a situation. We spoke for
another five minutes or so about how and why things speak to us differently at
different points in time. We wrapped up the conversation with a firm
handshake and the respective thank you.
As Keith Urban puts it, “These are the days we will
remember.” To Principal Rood, all the students of Giddings High
School, the Texas Word Wrangler Team, and 290 Grind Coffee House, thank you so
much for your hospitality and for allowing me the opportunity for some great
new experiences and some days that I will certainly remember.
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