Saturday, February 17, 2007

It's a small world after all... ...insert foot in mouth

FACT ONE: My brother works for St. Arnold's Brewing Company and is kinda "chatty" when he drinks.

FACT TWO: I'm not always huge fan of the Teach for America culture of "I'm gonna save the world in two years" and cause career teachers to feel as though they have to keep up with the compassion for the children at a rate that is simply not sustainable over the long term. It isn't personal.

The two factors met on Friday morning in the workroom when one of my TFA friends said "hey, does your brother work at St. Arnold's?"

THE STORY:

Sam was working at the brewery tour and was chatting with a girl named Megan. Megan is from Connecticut and works at a middle school. She's in TFA. He proudly told me that he had met this girl and had once again used my "TFA are union scabs" line to impress her. Repeatedly, just to get under her skin. I've mentioned this once, and it is one of his favorite things to tell people when he is a) drunk and b) talking to a TFA teacher.

This has happened before, with Parker who I was then introduced to at a wedding.

He told me about this encounter, and was particularly proud that he had pulled out this phrase yet again. He also told me, her name is "Megen" not "Maygan." I don't know her, no problem.

Except all TFAs know each other. They all live together. They go to the same bar. In this case Megan lives with Emily, an English teacher here.

I don't know this part of the story, I wasn't there... but I think it went like this.

Megan: I met a guy at St. Arnold's who has a sister who works at Lee, her name is Kate?
Emily: Yeah, I think I know who you are talking about. Kate W-.
Megan: Yeah, that's it. I have his card. I don't think she likes TFA. He called us union scabs. I don't get it, we're in the union.
Emily: Huh.

And so the story continues on Friday morning:
Emily: Hey, do you have a brother that works for St. Arnold's?
Kate: Yeah, he does.
Emily: My roommate met him last Saturday.
Kate: Oh yeah? (Forgetting the conversation that must have been recounted).
Emily: Yeah she said you must not like TFA, cause we're not in the union.
Kate: (thinking doh, and changing the subject) Oh was that Megen, not Maygan?
Emily: Yeah, we don't get it. We are in the union.
Kate: Did he pull out that union scabs line? I said that ONCE and he totally recycles it all the time cause he likes to agitate people.
Emily: Oh, well small world huh?
Kate: Yup (I take my coffee and walk away).

4 comments:

Assistant Village Idiot said...

I've done worse.

bs king said...

He has, I can vouch for that.

Anonymous said...

Sorry to keep bringing that back to you. I'll stop talking in public.
-Sam

Anonymous said...

I can so very easily picture you executing that conversation. Especially the walking away with a coffee mug in your hand part.