My daughter-in-law works in a different school system than I do. She is new to public schools having worked since graduating college in a private school. She was in the office the other day when she over heard two teachers talking. One was asking the other if this Gullatt, the name on a mailbox, could possibly be related to Gee. She answered he was my father-in-law. Both gave her their kind sympathies, telling her they had known him for years. They had both called various sports with him and how wonderful they thought he was. She thanked them both for their kind words and assured them she would pass them on to me.

Gee was known everywhere there was a sports dollar to be made. He knew so many people by their faces, all the men were bubba and all the women were sweetheart, he didn't remember any ones name. The first game he called at Gardner Middle School after Ish became the Dean of Students, Ish tells me, as a three sport athlete he remembers Gee from his own games growing up in Fitchburg . They all remember him, as real class act, great guy.

He called men's softball for years. I would go with him before the kids were born. This one particular night he was behind the plate and this one guy was giving him a hard time. Complaining about his calls. After the first couple of innings Gee had had it. He tells this guy another word from you and you're gone. Do you understand me....the guy says yes sir....that's the word you're gone!! Throws the guy out of the game. The next night he is calling with a guy they call Mother Yates, because when he has had enough he would but his hand on his hip and shake his finger. The same group of guys from Hudson. The same guy that Gee had thrown out of the game the night before was playing. He made comments about the calls Phil was making. When Phil stood up and put his hand on his hip I heard Gee say oh Lord.....I then hear Phil saying "do you understand me!" the guy shakes his head....."you better answer me" Phil says, again the guy shakes his head. Phil is about to toss this guy when Gee finally starts laughing and tells Phil about the night before. As always Gee finds humor everywhere he went. He always said life was to short not to enjoy it all.

Mrs. G's back in School

Friday!!

The last day of the first week back. Not much has changed, the place didn't fall to pieces without me! The "girl drama" is in full swing and the boys all bathe in cheep cologne. Less is more is the mantra of the 8th grade floor!

Work has kept my mind busy. I have a new schedule, my student is going to a private school, so I am back in the classroom, two math classes and two ELA. The math I enjoy, but the ELA...what is a conjunction?? and don't even ask me to spell anything. I now know why my mother would say"look it up"...she couldn't spell either!

I enjoy my job most of the time, and I am good at it. I connect with my kids, sometime understand them more than they understand themselves. I think it's because I could have very easily been one of my kids. I work with a boy who has become one of my favorites....who knows why. He's unkempt, a bit skanky, but there is just something about this kid.  He wants to go to Monty Tech next year but they wont take anyone with his behavior issues, so he wonders why he should bother to stay on track.

Today he came into our room mad as hell. One of the teachers gave him a zero for an essay she said he didn't pass in. I know he did it, he did it in academic support with me. Did he pass it in, he says he did, I believe him. He redid the essay and passed it in, she accepted it but told him she is taking 10 points off the top for being late. Very unfair when come to find out  his is one of 10 essays in this class alone she can't find. Another reason for this kid not to stay on track.

The teacher in our room will be the mediator between them. What bothers me is when this kid or any of our kids know they are treated differently because they come from our room, no matter how "good" they have been behaving.  One detention since September, no suspensions, attendance better than it has ever been and some teachers still wont cut him a break.

It bothers me that a kid so smart who is really trying to "do the right thing" gets the short end again. If he keeps it together he sees no benefit, Monty Tech has written him off as trouble, teachers wont believe he isn't lying. If he gives up and "throws in the towel" and reverts to the mouthy kid who hardly comes to school, never does anything they can say see we all knew he was just a punk. I guess all I can do is keep doing what I do, encourage them to improve, praise them for their successes and help them learn from their failures.

Take It To The Hoop

One of the teachers I work with graduated with Clayton. His mom and I travailed to every football game and basketball game the boys were playing in. We all work together now.

Gee didn't call varsity basketball, you only got one game. Hardly worth the gas. He did however call freshman and JV. If Gardner was playing he would come sit with Lynda and I when his games were done. The crowd would be yelling and nothing could be heard on the floor, just muffled noise. Mike would break for the basket, running to the noise of a yelling crowd and through all that noise he would hear Gee yell, "take it to the hoop"and if he scored, "boonyoew, there it is." Mike would point into the stands at Gee as he headed back down the court.

While I was out and Gee was so ill the teacher's were playing some 3 on3 during the talent show. When one of the guys was carrying the ball down the court, Lynda hears Mike yell.."Take it to the hoop.....she turned and looked at Mike, he says that one's for Gee.

Family Man

I was flicking channels and stopped on a video station....a country station and the song playing was called Family Man...a video of a man who works when and where he can to make a dollar for his family...it could have been written for Gee. He would leave at 4am and be gone untill 9pm, leaving one job to go to another. His job as a Man was to earn the money, mine was the kids, thats a another story, for another time.

Family means different things to different people, to Gee family was everything. Food, clothing and shelter that was his job, and he did it so well.

When he was 13 he asked his father for a quarter for lunch money for school, knowing he had just gotten paid,"get away for me boy, I got no money". That was the last time he spoke to his father for many years. What he did was find a job after school in a grocery store. The "Old Jew" let him live in the back room as long as he stayed in school. Which he did until he was 16 when he lied about his age and joined the Army.

For 32 years the Army was home. It took care of him and later let him take care of his family. When asked why he stayed in he would always say, "I like to eat and all I had to do is keep my mouth shut and my opinions to myself."

After leaving the Army, nothing much changed all he knew was work. At 72 he was still a sports official, not high school anymore but the little guys who always were his favorites. He was a man who took care of his own. His kids had everything the needed, most of what they wanted and a true example of what a Family Man was.

He was so proud of his children. All 5 went to college, all 5 responsible adults,a corporate business man, flight attendant, a data processor, a computer programer and a someday social worker. What a great gift the world got from just a common Family Man.......

I work with very good people.....

I work with very good people....

My first day was hard to be back, just being in school, wondering how much the kids knew about why I was out.....and what would be said. They said nothing more than we're glad your back Mrs. Gee, we are sorry about your husband.

The staff in the building did the same, except Dern....he gave me a hug, kiss on the cheek and whispered in my ear, life sucks, but we are here for you and walked out...... everyone has let me know they are there for me...makes things a bit easier

Another step forward.....

pushing on...

I am going back to work tomorrow. I am very apprehensive, not knowing how I will react to all the people asking me how I am doing.

How am I doing? I tell everyone that we are fine, we are okay, that's what they want to hear. They don't want to hear that I wake up at night thinking I hear Gee calling me. That the dog sits looking at the door waiting for Gee to come home, that I can be watching TV at night and it is all I can do to not scream.

I can't bring myself to go through Gee's clothes. His jeans, shirts, sweatshirts....the sports stuff, striped shirts, whistles,flags and so much more. All those things that made him Gee. I sleep in his sweatshirts hoping that it will bring him closer to me.

We went to Clayton's today, to have the Christmas none of us really wanted. Being true to form....Gee had Clayton buy Rachel and my Christmas present....a heart bead for my bracelet, one that says daughter for her. So like him, to think of us.....

Compromises

Funerals are for the living, for those left behind to share their grief and comfort each other. Someone told me that once.

Gee wanted Military Honors and that's all. Honor guard, gun salute, taps....short and to the point, just like him. Only family to attend.

His older children wanted the funeral they remember of their grandparents. They wanted the wake, the minister, the service in the church, written programs with his life's history, family flying in from all over the country. Way over the top, not Gee at all.

Determined to stand my ground refusing any options other than what Gee wanted I see Gweno, full of anguish and pain. Of all his children she knows him the least. She was only 3 or 4 when Gee left for Korea never to really to come back. He was a voice on the phone, a Christmas present, a birthday card and a week in the summer. She needed more, she needed something that would make these days seem normal to her. So compromises needed to b made.

I agreed to open his service to the public, to gather together after to have lunch and tell stories and to gather strength from each other. A small gesture that made such a difference to her and to many others. So many came, neighbors, friends,track people, basketball people, softball people, football people, standing room only.  All feeling the need to gather together to say good-bye to a man who was larger than life and who touched the lives of everyone he ever met.

Funerals are for the living.......