10

I was driving down the hill that faces the bay on the way to work as the sun was rising. No fog, no smog, just the sun rising and the clear blue water ahead, as I drove past the Victorians.

No doubt it was going to be a beautiful day as the summer in the city is just starting and will go until mid October. The best months to visit really are September and October, it is a little known secret.

I took my laptop to work thinking I might squeeze some writing in on my downtime. I was working in the behavior intervention office today and thought, the students might not be referred out of class. I was right. Although I didn't write, I spent the time working on orientation with a new client. She was 10.

I can still remember when I was 10, reading all the books I could in exchange for the gold star incentive Mrs. Haney had created. I still have the cards with the stars across the top and all the names of the books I read. I even remember celebrating my 10th birthday with dinner at Lawrys Prime Rib and going to the Beatlemania show. And the parent teacher conference where my teacher told my parents, "She is just not working up to her potential."

So I worked with her all morning. All my client wanted to do just once is slide down the shiny hall in her black pants. When I objected mentioning she would get dirty she replied, " I don't mind, I'm a tomboy mam." I laughed and tried to find another reason why it was not a good idea and she dismissed it saying, "My mom doesn't mind, I'm not girlie like you." I smiled and felt myself caving, well let's see how we do with orientation, maybe on your way to lunch. "Yes mam. You know my mom says I am to say that, but you don't seem very old."

She was as tall as me and gave me a handful of colored rubberbands so I could braid my hair like hers. " The matrix, did you see that movie?" Yes, I did, recalling the last one I went to four years ago at the Man Chinese Theater on opening night. "It is like the matrix, when they do all those moves, in slow motion, just look at that hall."

Okay. Once, just once and then you better dust your pants off, "deal," she replied. We made sure the hallway was clear and I nodded and smiled for her to go for it. I caught up with her at the end of the hall and handed her the lunch bag. "That was soo much fun!"

I was walking her to lunch and she asked, "will you have lunch with me in the lunchroom? I don't know anyone yet." Okay, I replied, I will introduce you to some of your classmates.

After lunch I said goodbye and wished her a good day explaining that I would be leaving campus, "Okay, thank you for spending time with me today," and she caught me off gaurd with a hug. I should have corrected her regarding personal space, but maybe clinical distance isnt always as clear cut as it seems. I smiled and waved goodbye, before stepping out into the bright city sun.