Crushes

Let me first start by saying I know I'm not the flyest player on the block. Don't get all "
V has self-esteem issues" and start posting overly positive comments on the blog. I'm just staying grounded in reality. I know I have a different look but I know it's one that folks have to get used to most of the time. I also know that when it comes to crushes, dude (because it's never women) is usually much older or much younger but rarely in my age bracket. With all that said, I have a real problem with crushes. Men and boys always have crushes on me. I don't really know why--my charming personality or the knowledge that I will beat dude in a race or my lack of make-up most of the time--but something puts the mojo out there.

So one student has been waiting for me after class with questions and debate points. Once, B came to meet me after class and dude was like "how do you know each other" all upset and what not. So the other day, it was sooooo cold and rainy in Berkeley and after class I was really trying to make moves to catch the train back to the 'burbs and dude is waiting for me again after class. And he starts walking with me to the BART station. So I stop and say "you really can't walk with me to the train," and socially-awkward Cal student that he is decides that means we can just stand in the pouring rain and cold and chat it up about African colonialism. I answered one question and when dude was moving to the next question, mad ignoring my shivering, I was like "yo, I have to catch this train" and then walked away.

When I first started my teaching career, this happened quite a bit. I can't tell you how uncomfortable and annoying it is to have a bunch of twelve year old kids trying to holler. Or better yet, when I was doing my student teaching and I was only twenty and some of my students were nineteen, it was all bad. Once when I was teaching high school, one little man said "you're telling me if you saw me at the club, you wouldn't at least kick it with me?" And I said "you don't have a job and you live with your moms." And that did it. I had to bring him down. But when I got into a car accident on the way to school one day and was on the side of the road near school with a flat tire, that same little man did all that he could to help me out.

So I do what I have to do to tone down the sexy, make my jokes less funny, if that's even possible, and act aloof whenever possible. And now I'm off to class...