Do you have a favorite teacher? I did. And he passed away last Friday.
Mr. Monro was my friend, mentor and all-around cool guy. He played hard with us, laughed with us and was the reason Grade 6 was my favorite year of school. Ever.
He was not only my favorite teacher but also my first school-girl crush true love. Now, lest you judge me, this was long before ped*philia was on the rampage. And so pure was my obsession for Mr. Monro that I dreamed of cruising around in his yellow corvette and drinking Slurpees by sunset on the playground with him.
We even had a song–”Hello,” by Lionel Ritchie. It was all so perfect.
Well, except that that my affections were not reciprocated.
Under his tutelage I excelled that year like never before, winning the all-around athletic and academic award for my elementary school.
Mr. Monro coined the nickname that my childhood friends still call me today: The Animal (see the similarities?) If recollection serves me well, my christening occurred after I accidentally busted his nose by kicking the soccer ball in his face.
Sometimes love hurts.
When Walkmans first came on the market, he even let us have reading time while listening to them. I remember leaning over to Jamie Cranston and asked him about his radio station.
“I AM LISTENING TO XL-RADIO!” he shouted.
The guy hadn’t yet figured out that he did not have to speak over the volume. I think he became an attorney with all that brain power (for reals).
Speaking of good ol’ Jamie, in junior high he decided to go by James because it sounded more grownup. And this is the reason why I taunted him by calling him Jamie every chance I got.
WaitAMinute.
Someone else named Jamie?
Submitting him to a lifetime of torment?
Anyone else seeing the coincidences here?…..
I would love to hear about your favorite teacher. What made him/her so special? And most importantly: did you end up marrying a man who has the same name as someone you once traumatized?
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. 