The Kid With the Black Eye

School always begins with the teacher asking me if Ellen is always this quiet. What? She is my child who needs down time and is very comfortable being alone but she is not quiet. At home.

I've learned that when my caller ID reveals that the elementary school is calling a little before 1:00, it is the school nurse. It always starts out with, "Everything is OK but..." I think that they are fending off a lawsuit that may ensue if they send a kid home in an altered state from their arrival. Yesterday the call came.

I guess kickball took on more of a kill-the-guy-with-the-ball feel. Ellen had the ball.

She heals quickly. It looks like an allergy shiner this morning.

What is it with this child? She is yet to be in a fight, but this is the third time in about a year that she has returned from school with a black eye. I think this happened once in New York, too.

I wonder how many incidents have involved Ellen when I am not the parent getting the call.