rolling in the dough

My school has been having weekly bake sales for the past few months, as various organizations try to raise money for end-of-the-year trips. I must say, I prefer the bake sale route to those fundraisers where kids have to sell things, collect money, and turn it in to me. Those are a little stressful, because I'm always worried about what will happen to the money. When I lived in Texas, my fifth graders sold discount cards to local businesses to raise money for a trip to San Antonio. For a mere $10, supporters could have access to discounts at McDonald's, the Sears Garden Center, and Roger's Tire Shop. I was collecting funds from one of my students, Baby G, when Vivi, a girl in my class (who happened to have a very big, very obvious crush on Baby G) approached us.

Vivi: Hey! Baby G! Buy one for me!

Baby G: Huuuuuuh? (while flaring his nostrils quite widely)

Me: (thinking) What do you want one of these cards for? Do you need to get your four-wheeler tires rotated or something?

Girl: Buy me a card! I want one!

Baby G: (remains silent and continues flaring nostrils)

Girl: Oh, never mind! (walking off in a huff)

At that point, Baby G turned to me. "Aw, Miss! They know that I got the money...that I got the STRENGTH!" he half-mourned, half-grinned as he flexed his biceps.

I didn't want to hurt Baby G's feelings, but I couldn't help bursting out laughing right then and there. Luckily, he did too. For the rest of the year, any time I caught his eye as he stared into space during class time, he would perk up, grin, and flex his biceps.

Oh, these kids...what would I do without them?!