Barney & Clyde by Gene Weingarten; Dan Weingarten & David Clark for April 17, 2023

Miss Devine, my 5th grade teacher, abruptly disappeared and nobody would tell us why. Literally 50 years later it finally hit me: OMG she died!!! (Subject to all human problems indeed.)

I always regarded teachers as kind of school equipment, like a map stand or so.

I was disabused of that notion when my mother substituted for my teacher in third grade. Later when she went back to full-time teaching, she’d bring home construction paper so I could create all her bulletin boards.

I was in shock one summer when I saw one of my teacher’s at the park playing tennis. With his wife. Who knew?

I love broccoli.