PAGE OF THE MOMENT: Rurouni Kenshin Poem			TSF Vote Banner Exchange
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Her name was Mrs. Thompson.  As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on 
the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, 
she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same.

But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his
seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy 
the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the other
children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a
bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs.
Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad
red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his
papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to
review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last.
However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready
laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around."

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well
liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal 
illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death had been hard on him. He 
tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home 
life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much 
interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in 
class".

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of
herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, 
wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's.
His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a 
grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other 
presents.

Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone
bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one quarter 
full of perfume. But she stiffled the children's laughter when she exclaimed
how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on 
her wrist.

Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say,
"Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to."

After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very
day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to 
teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked 
with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the 
faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the 
smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she
would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's
pets."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her
that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. Six years 
went by before she got another note from Teddy. He
then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class,
and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that
while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had
stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the
highest of honors.

He assured Mrs.Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher
he ever had in his whole life. Then four more years passed and yet another
letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he
decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the 
best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer- 
the letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. 
Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that 
his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs.
Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually 
reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did.

And guess what?
She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing.
And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his
mother wearing on their last Christmas together. They hugged each other, and 
Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs.Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for 
believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing
me that I could make a difference."

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back.
She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who
taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to
teach until I met you."