第12章淘气的天使WhyITecah（2）
Iknowmystudents。Massesofawkwardseventhgradersswarmthehallsofmyruralmiddleschooleachday，haulingbackpacksoveroalkingandshufflingaloilehallwayfloorfromclasstoclass。Iwatchthemlikeageneralfrommypost，mydoor，ahefactthatIcalleae。Iks，theirstories。Dorasloudisshy，andIknowitisbecauseshespehiced，soshewohebruher’sangryhand。Jaypitchlikeatenthgrader，andallthegirlsswoonwhenheandhisblondhairstrutby，butIkreallyevenlikebaseballthatmuchheplaysbecausehisdadwantshimtoaooscaredtoaskoutthegirlhelikes。Thekidsthihisjusttheclass，butIknowofhisdreamstobeeanastronautandI’vereendedhimforspaceystudentsbecauseIamtheirwritirustmewiththeirstoriesandsoIamgiventheprivilegeofhavibondwitheadeveryoeachmystudentsaboutthepowerofwords，andItrytoletthemfindreleaseahr。Welearntotrusteachotherinwritingclassbecausewelearnhowharditistowriteopenlyaly，asharingyourwordstakesce。Iseeceeverydayinmy，andIamalwaysamazedatthewordsthatystudes。Onesuchexampleetookplagauthor’schair，asharitheendofourwriter’sworkshopinwhitsvoluosharewhattheyhavewritten。
Wehadaheschool，Al。Alwassmalland，withhisdimpleddbabyface，helookedyouhanhisclassmates。InfaAlwasfirstiheclasstwoweeksearlier，osaid，“You’rehgrade。You’reababy。”Tothat，AlquiAlBillslington，andIamihgrade。”Despitehisobvie，Alhadbeenwithusforonlyashortwhileandwasstilltryingtofitin。SoIwasalittlesurprisedwheeeredtauthor’schair。Ihadohoseteaents，whenIsmiledandnoddedforhimtoread，whileinsideIsaidasileheotherstudentswouldheerheread。Theroomfellsilent，aoread。“IfIhadowouldbetomeetmydad。。。”Hestartedoutloudanddheldtheattentionofmyusuallyrestlessseventhgradersashereadonforwhatseemedlikefifteeoldofhowhehadneverknownhisfather，whohadleftthefamilywhenAl>
&heiailslestobetheonlymasugage，ofhavingtomowthelawnandfixbrokenpipes。Herevealedtousthethoughtsthatraindtlyaboutwherehisfathermightbeahaveleft。Myeyessedtheroomffacesofseventh-gradekidsereproojumpataweakrytocrackajoke，buttherewereherewereneyesesturesinsinuatingbattayseveswerelisteening。TheireyeswereonAl，andtheywereabshiswordslikespowasfull。Aluedon，tellingofnight，amansoimportanttohim，yetsounreal。Icouldhearhisvshakyashereadsuateawords，andIsawatearrolldownoneofhisdimpledcheeks。IlookedtotheaudieearsonJessica’sfathefacesofafewothersseatedquietly，ietinghimdothis，Ithought。Theyareallowinghimtosharesomethingheperhapshasneversharedbefore，ajudginghimhim。Ifeltalumpinmyownthroat。Alfirugglingnowtoreadhislastsentence。“IfIhadowouldbetomeetmydad，soIwouldn’t。。。”Histearswererollingnow，andsowereours，“。。。soIwouldoyeyesijustwwhathelookslike。”Withoutanye，theclassstoodupandapplauded。Alsmiledfromeartoearastheyallrushedhimwithhugs。Iwasfloored。ThisiswhyIteach。IteachbecauseIamallowedtolearoriesbehindthefaces。IteachbecauseIwatchkidsgrowandlaughandleareachbecauseofstudentslikeAl。