Friday, August 14, 2009

10 Most Memorable School Visit Moments: #6

Every school I've had the privilege of speaking at has given me a great experience. Some have given me a great story, too.

“More Than Principal and Nun”

year: 2005
state: Connecticut






Once upon four years ago, schools would send back my signed contract in the postal mail. (Now most scan and e-mail.)


One Catholic school principal also sent back something extra—a two-page letter to confirm that the school understood my terms and to provide my schedule for the day.

But it wasn’t all business.

First there was a curious line embedded on the schedule between two of my presentations:

"11:30 a.m. Enjoy lunch with the Sisters in the convent"

I loved how she didn’t ask me. She told me—I would not only be eating, but also enjoying, lunch with the sisters.

(And I did. I only wish I’d taken a photo or, better yet, a video. Me and twelve nuns spaced evenly around a rectangular table, eating home-cooked food and talking about my Jewish upbringing.)

Then near the end of the letter, she wrote, “Besides being a principal and nun, I also am an author and cartoonist, as well as a professional magician and an honorary assistant football coach of an NFL team.”


Checklist:

principal - check
nun - check
author - check
cartoonist - check
professional magician - check
honorary assistant NFL coach - check
Olympic bobsledder - oo, so close...

I'm kidding, of course. I was already impressed with principal and nun.

And she wasn’t kidding. After my presentations, she told me how she became each of those things, with visual aids.

The fun of this school didn’t end when I left. Several days later, I received (again in the postal mail) the following photo (8x10):


Even the protective interior envelope the photo was in was addressed with heavenly care:


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