When Randy comes home from work, we run through the usual questions,
"How was your day?"
"Anything special happen?"
Fear grips my body and commands my attention, when he responds (which he too often does), "Do you think it is OK to say this to a student?"
Without a pause, my response explodes, "No!"(If he has to ask, the answer is always NO!!!)
It is already clear by the pride in his stance and twinkle in his eye he said something borderline inappropriate (probably majorly inappropriate) and believes it hysterically funny.
For a man who says he doesn't like to be the center of attention, he sure knows how hold the attention of a crowd. His stories which often culminate in one-liners draw everyone's attention.
The story below shares an incident from his automotive class as told by my husband.
"Today, several boys were huddled together in a group and snickering. (Not a good sign.) I walked near to eavesdrop and possibly stop whatever shenanigans they might be planning. When they saw me walk up, they ask what I thought about it. Since I didn't know what "it" was, I asked.
(This is never good because now he becomes an accomplice.)
"One boy told me Bob got a new piercing?" (Name changed to save Randy's job.)
"A little worried about where this might be going, I just shrugged and planned to change the topic. (Good choice, Babe.) But, the boys were too engrossed with the topic. One asked, 'Mahler, do you know where he got it?' I didn't and said I didn't want to know, but they were insistent and continued to talk and snicker."
"Now I figured this was going bad real quickly so I didn't say anything" (Another good choice, Babe.)
"But the boys insisted on telling me. They didn't name the place but all glanced down, and one pointed to the boy's crotch, 'Down there. Do you want to see it?'
"NO! In fact, all I have to say is if you can't do anything else with it, you might as well hang jewelry on it.
(Bad choice, Babe.)
Brenda and Randy (that's us) have been happily married (most of the time) for 39 years. (No wonder I am tired! He keeps me on my toes.) I record the stories that nobody believes, but I promise he really said it — and more.