yesterday i was the special guest for my aunt's preschool class. it was community helper day, and i dressed up, as myself, and was a REAL LIVE COMMUNITY HELPER.. kids, get it so good these days. when she asked me if i would come, she told me there were only 2 requirements 1) i wear scrubs and 2) i bring my stethescope. no problem. i even upped it and declared that i would even wear a PRINTED scrub top. you are probably wondering what the big deal about wearing a printed top is. its a big deal. i hate the printed tops. you're right- there are tons of cute ones with flowers, and pretty bright colors, even pink and green ones that look like lilly pulitzer might have made them. but when you have the upper body composition of a line backer you tend to steer away from bright and bold prints on fabric gives you a lovely box shaped appearance. and since the day i had that revelation, ive been a solids only girl. fear not, i also look cheery for the kiddies, just not at the expense of my self esteem.



so, i donned the print top (i saved one for emergencies-which clearly this was) and even wore white pants to up the stereo type and went to class. i got directions to the class room and was told "walk down the hall through the forest, turn right, and its at the end of the hall". i felt a bit like dorothy in the wizard of oz and walked quickly through the forest at the risk the trees throw apples at me. i was behind a kid with a plastic stethescope around his neck and decided following him would bring me to the right place. it did. all the kids dressed as different community helpers. it was quite possibly the most adorable thing i have ever seen. when class started, i got to sit in the teachers spot on the carpet and tried to play a little game with the kids. i said, who can guess my job. one kid ,dressed as a chef, exclaimed COMMUNITY HELPER. bingo smarty pants (my aunt had said about 100 times in ten minutes that it was community helper day). i said well yes, but what kind? i said "i work in a hospital, and i help kids feel better, and i work with a doctor, who do you think i am?" (while holding my stethescope) and the construction worker said, A DOCTOR. no, darling, i work WITH a doctor. now the farmer exclaimed, A COMMUNITY HELPER. oy vey, i was on the verge of bursting in laughter and my aunt chimed in and a said a nurse. they seemed very disappointed. i let the police officer try listening to his heart. he says " nope, i hear nothing." great, could you just use your imagination - you are four - thats your job in life. i said "try again, i think you really can!" i suppose the power of suggestion swayed him and he told me he could. halleluliah. then the construction worker looked at me and declared, " well, i know everything, and i knew it all even in heaven before i was born." how do you compete with that? i couldn't.



so me and my bright print top went home and napped.