Embarrassing… But Also Kind of Awesome

 

Embarrassing… But Also Kind of Awesome

I love working in the school system—correction, elementary school.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s a lot of work. There’s stress. There’s frustration. There are days when you go home wondering if you even matter. But then… there are the fun moments.

And sometimes—okay, a lot of times—there are the embarrassing moments.

Like when you’re walking through the mall or down an aisle at Walmart, minding your own business, when suddenly—

“MR. MEDINAAAAA!”

—and it’s coming from about 200 feet away. Every. Head. Turns.

Or when a student sneaks up behind you while you're shopping and says, “Hey… I know you.” And then their parent looks at you like 'Who?'

I’ve even heard a parent whisper, “How do you know that man?”

And now I’m standing there holding a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread, trying to explain that I’m not some random stranger who talks to children for fun—I work at the school!

But honestly? There’s nothing like the feeling you get when that same student says:

“I read your book.”

Or…

“When is the next book coming out?”

My personal favorite?

“Can you sign my book, Mr. Medina?”

That right there makes it all worth it. Every late night writing. Every early morning. Every moment of self-doubt.

Okay… one last embarrassing thing. I promise.

It’s when a student walks up to you in public, calls you by name, starts talking to you like you’ve known each other forever… and you have absolutely no idea who they are.

Not their name. Not their face. Nothing.

Because kids grow up. They change. They get taller. They get haircuts. They lose glasses. They gain confidence.

And now I’m standing in the middle of Walmart having a full conversation while trying to solve a mystery in my own head, like:

Who is this child?
Was she in my class last year?
After-school program?
Church?
Do I ask?
No… don’t ask. That would be embarrassing.

So I just smile… nod… and hope something in the conversation gives me a clue before it’s too late.

Speaking of mysteries…

What happens when a city girl’s quiet summer on a farm takes a turn for the worse?

A city girl, a missing cow, and a cute boy face a dangerous stranger. When everything in Emily’s world starts falling apart, all she can do is get answers and run!

A quiet summer turned upside down. A city girl meets a farm boy, but when Daisy the cow goes missing, her search for answers uncovers something far worse.

Start the mystery here:  The Missing Moo