Here's a Story (About the Future Tense)

A Future ending tale…(based on a true story)

Once many years ago, when I was working in day care before I found my first teaching job, the following series of events took place. 

I was in charge of a small group of about eight two-year-olds.  Two-year-olds have few words but many feelings.  They often express those feelings in inappropriate ways.  For example, sometimes they express anger by biting.  Teeth are a relatively new acquisition for two-year-olds and it doesn’t take long for them to discover that they are a useful weapon as well as helpful for crunching cheerios. 

In my group,  I had two very different children:  Beavis and Robert Bis.  Beavis was a shy boy who often cried.  He had trouble with the “v” sound in his name so he called himself “Beemus.” His parents adapted it as a nickname so we at the center called him that as well. Robert, or Bo as he was called was a more violent child – taking toys and biting when he didn’t get his way.  Well,  on the day of Beavis’ third birthday,  Beavis’ mom brought in a Bundt cake for the group to share.  Parents often did this kind of thing at the day care center.  I cut it up and we all sang “Happy Birthday” to Beavis.  Bo was not happy with the attention that Beavis was getting  so he bit him and then took a big bite out of Beavis' slice of cake. 

As it was customary to send a short note home with the children about their day, I sent the following note home to Beavis’ parents:

Bo Bis bit Beemus, then bit his bundt (bo, bis bit, bimus, bitis, bunt)

Get it? (Cue groaning)