Morning in class was filled with excited learners. As I passed, each would smile broadly at me then return to the activities. Break was approaching. It was time to call them together.
“Does anyone have any suggestions for our next session?”
One child suggested, “Sir, you could remove the makeup.”
I remembered my young daughter’s farewell as I left for school, “You look pretty now daddy.”
After a late night, I had dozed off at breakfast in the morning.
“Out of the mouths of babes,” I sighed as I looked in a mirror and realised what my daughter had meant when saying I now looked pretty.
Ross's Writing Blog 
Sally-Jayne
September 21, 2011 at 01:49
Love the picture that goes with this one. He must be a fearsome teacher if the kids concentrated on their activities with him looking like that!
Ross Mannell
September 21, 2011 at 06:49
Thanks for the comment.
I’ve always had a sense of fun with kids. When recently minding an 8 year old boy and an 11 year old girl, the girl asked if she could make me up. I agreed.
The boy kept saying, “No, Ross, don’t let her do it.”
The final result did look a bit like the picture minus the lipstick. This gave me the idea for the story. What would happen if I arrived at school having forgotten I was wearing makeup?
annahalford (@anhalf)
September 21, 2011 at 05:17
Fancy none of his colleagues noticing. What meanies. Clever take on the prompt as always.
Ross Mannell
September 21, 2011 at 06:54
Thanks for the comment.
I’m sure someone would have noticed and mentioned it but I’ve had some staff with a great sense of humour who might have grinned and let me carry on had it been me. Personally, had it really happened to me, I would have laughed along with the class. 🙂
gsussex
September 21, 2011 at 07:36
What a great angle Ross! Made me smile at the thought of it . . .
Ross Mannell
September 21, 2011 at 19:48
Thanks for the comment.
i was looking for something a little different. My reply to Sally-Jayne pointed out the idea came from an experience while minding two children. I them posed a what if tot he plot.
Alison Green
September 21, 2011 at 20:29
Oh the horror! A bit like when I had baby sick unnoticed by me all down my back. I always whisper discreetly to alert those who have been compromised.
Ross Mannell
September 21, 2011 at 20:37
Thanks for the comment.
I know what you mean. I’ve had to tip more than one parent over the years about baby sick. It’s hard to know unless some kind person points it out. 🙂
robinhawke
September 22, 2011 at 01:31
I was impressed with the student’s respect…”Sir”…maybe a politician in the making. Robin
Ross Mannell
September 22, 2011 at 06:02
Thanks for the comment.
In my earlier days of teaching, it was normal for children to address the male teachers as ‘sir’. It’s still the common way when you can’t remember a teacher’s name. I always had a great sense of fun with classes so I think respect was mutual. To this day, many former students still call me ‘sir’ or use ‘Mr Mannell’ because they don’t feel it’s correct to call me by my first name. 🙂
Susan Mann
September 24, 2011 at 07:39
Another fantastic piece. Very funny take on the prompt
Ross Mannell
September 25, 2011 at 10:21
Thanks for the comment.
I try to look at prompts differently while keeping the stories within this blog’s aim of being suitable for children to read.
jfb57
September 26, 2011 at 16:59
How polite of them though not to mention it before! 😉
Ross Mannell
September 26, 2011 at 18:18
Thanks for the comment.
I was thinking of the possibility of a teacher who would use the unusual to capture the interest of a class. The class would have been wondering was this another of his curious attention getters or a mistake? 🙂