Page 26 January 2011 Twist Continued from page 25 Then the bell rang, which meant we all had fi ve minutes to get from the cafeteria to our classrooms. So all the kids who were eating jumped up from their tables and made progress at the tray clearing area, which is where I set up my own personal “cole slaw collection area.” Most of my fellow diners were cooperative, and willing to share. There was so much, in fact, I had to enlist the assistance of an older kid to help me get my bounty back to my homeroom. And the next thing you know, there’s a little redheaded child pushing a 50-gallon rolling garbage can with nearly 200 containers of cole slaw down the hallway of Public School 113. I panicked when the second bell rang, because I was supposed to be in my seat instead of speedloading my cubby with leaky side dishes. “Where is Greg Bruns?” I heard the teacher inquire, and before the fi nal syllable of my last name was even started, a chorus of punitive little narcs barked out information. “He’s getting ALL the COLE SLAW from the CAFETERIA,” one of my female classmates explained in a very precise and almost singing manner, obviously anxious herself to put the next chain of events in motion. “What? (pause) WHAT is he doing? He’s getting COLE-SLAW?” There was an instant fl ush of panic that coursed through my body. Fear took root, so I started hoisting the cups two at a time from the bottom of the garbage can to the cubby, which I was trying to balance on the side of the garbage can. It didn’t work out perfectly – mistakes were made, and containers of cole slaw were soon tumbling out of the cubby onto the fl oor, making quite a lot of noise. I think I was whimpering, too, because I had witnessed the wrath of the 113 teachers before – they were rumored to carry weapons with them at all times. At about the time I was pulling up the remnants of the cole slaw cache, I overheard the class and the teacher going through the explanation of why I was hoarding cole slaw. I had a hard time listening but I know I heard one of the boys back me up by saying, “He just really likes cole slaw.” “Oh no he doesn’t,” the teacher snapped. “You go get him. Right. Now.” When my friend came fl ying out into the hallway of momentary sanctuary, I whisper-shouted to him, asking if I could use his cubby. “No way,” he said, looking over the milky-mess on the fl oor, “you’re in really big trouble. You have to get in there.” And with that, the entire cubby tray slipped back into the garbage can, making a huge ruckus that brought the teachers on our side of the school together like the four horsemen. Romping in like the war horse Conquest, the teacher grabbed me by the neck and dragged me to the front of the four classrooms that had just become one with the clever use of accordion style sliding doors. Right up there in front of everyone, (according to my brain, who is hosting this memory nearly 35 years later), my plaid pants and underwear were pulled completely down and I was given a dose of corporal punishment that I’m sure she felt was be fi tting to any white boy who would dare come in and start stealing food from the poor. That’s what I fi gured anyway, after some years of confusion and bewilderment. At fi rst I had no idea what I did wrong. Did I take her favorite side dish here? Would she have been fi ne with this if I only offered her a share of the reward? Then later I started to see a pattern with the kids who were taking home those side dishes. They were all the same kids and they all lived in that scary apartment complex near school. Those kids were worse off than the rest of us, and I was the probably the “richest“ of all of them, and had no business absconding with the cabbage, whether it was destined for the garbage can or not. As it turns out, that teacher was incorrect. I do like cole slaw, and one of the best things about it for me are the memories it conjures up. Greg can sometimes be reached via e-mail: greg@arcadianews.com. &WFSZPOFOFFETBOFTUBUFQMBO© "OEOPXFWFSZPOFDBOBGGPSEPOF Seven-part estate plans starting at $295 Visit our website to learn more www.EstatePlanStore.com | (602) 466-1641 $POWFOJFOUMZMPDBUFEJO1IPFOJY (FPSHFBOE$ISJT;JLPT
Page 27 January 2011 Squaw Peak students win chess championship Squaw Peak Traditional Academy kindergartners Blake Shamblin and Aiken Ssennya took fi rst place in the Kindergarten Team division at the Best of Phoenix chess tournament at the Carefree Resort. Each boy played nine rounds of chess during the two-day event, which included competitors from 24 elementary schools. Both boys also won trophies in the individual competition. Open house at area schools January is the season for the open house at local schools. Here are some options near Arcadia that were available at press time. Saint Theresa Catholic School’s annual Open House is 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, January 30. Attendees can learn about the school curriculum and meet teachers. The school’s Kindergarten Information Night is 6 p.m. Wednesday, January 19 Fr. Feeney Hall for all new families with children entering kindergarten in 2011. For more information on either event, go to www.stcs.us or call 602-840-0010. Squaw Peak Traditional Academy will have an information session for Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grades on January 20 at 5:30 p.m. More information is available at 602-381- 6160 or squawpeakimmersion.com. Christ Lutheran School will host an open house on Monday, January 10 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. or 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. A kindergarten information meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. For more information call 602-957-7010 or visit online at www.clsphx.org. Tesseract School will host “Meet the Lower School Night” on February 3 and “Meet the Middle and High School Night” on February 10. More information is available by calling 480-385-3673 or go to the web: www.tesseractschool.org. Many schools are having open houses and some may be accepting applications for the 2011-12 school year. Readers are encouraged to check with their school of choice on the internet or by phone. Zoo fundraiser The Phoenix Zoo is reaching out to the community in an effort to raise money in support of its Capital Campaign, A World Class Zoo for a World Class City. The Zoo has already $14.7 million towards its goal of $20 million. The campaign will pay for a variety of Zoo updates and enhancements including a new habitat for the family of Bornean Orangutans, set to open in April. The campaign also will fund future projects such as a new Sumatran tiger exhibit, a native wildlife exhibit at the entrance, volunteer and staff headquarters, and an education and event facility overlooking the Zoo’s main lake. Supporters can make donations through the Zoo’s website at phoenixzoo.org or at donation boxes throughout the grounds. Military vehicle show The Arizona Military Vehicle Collectors Club will present the 20th Anniversary Papago Military Vehicle Show on Jan. 22-23 at the Arizona National Guard Building at 1335 N. 52 nd St. in Phoenix; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The main event of the show will include an array of troop carrier vehicles from World War I, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Other vehicles will include Humvees from Operation Desert Storm, Jeeps and other combat machinery. Judges will critique the vehicles in a number of areas before presenting awards on Sunday, Jan. 23. There will also be a military vehicle sale and an armed services collectables swap meet on both days. A non-vehicle military surplus auction will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday. The auction will contain some items suitable for children. Admission is free, but the club will accept $5 donations. Aiken Ssennya and Blake Shamblin. Code Pink Welcoming you to Code Pink Boot Camp... A Boot Camp designed specifically for Women! You are invited to join us! This is exactly what you need now! Join us for a series of fun workouts and get the JUMP START you want. It doesn’t matter what shape you are in. Code Pink Boot Camp is for ALL fitness levels, ages and sizes. Get started Now! Its just 1 hour a day, you choose your schedule M-F. Price specials for January! Lots of fun! Register Today! . What to Expect: • Shed 5-12 lbs. • Eliminate 5-8% Body Fat • Burn 500-700 Calories Per Hour • Full-Body Analysis (optional) • FREE Nutrition • Expert Instruction • Constant Motivation • Obstacle Courses • Look and Feel Amazing! Get your 2011 Jump start Now! Exciting photos & more at www.CodePinkBootCamp.com Call with questions: 888-949-PINK o Expect: 5-12 lbs. Now in Arcadia! $OKDPEUD%LRVFLHQFH%RVWURP7UHYRU%URZQH&DPHOEDFN&HVDU&KDYH]&HQWUDO%HWW\)DLUID[)UDQNOLQ&DUO+D\GHQ0DU\YDOH0HWUR7HFK1RUWK6RXWK0RXQWDLQ6XQV'LDPRQGEDFNV www.PhoenixUnion.org/Experience E perience High School E Actly what Phoenix Union High School District is Now accepting Open Enrollment applications for the 2011-2012 school year. Check out our 15 Phoenix Union high schools and see which one is right for you. ENroll online today! You only experience high school once. Make it the greatest experience possible. Our high schools have it all – more classes, more specialized programs, more student support and more opportunities than any other school district. Take advantage of all Phoenix Union has to offer. you want!