Monday, October 01, 2007

Let me tell you a story...

(pardon the blurry photos, these pics are taken with my phone, and I have yet to master the art of holding it still while snapping!)

Once upon a time, there was a very naughty bus. While his driver was trying to fix him, the bus decided to run away.

He ran along the road beside a train. They made funny faces at each other and raced each other. But the bus had to go on alone because the train went into a tunnel. He hurried into the city where he met a policeman who blew his whistle and shouted, "Stop, bus!"

But the naughty bus paid no attention and ran on into the country. He said, "I'm tired of going on the road," so he jumped over a fence. He met a cow who said, "moo! I can't believe me eyes!"

The bus raced down a hill. As soon as he saw there was water at the bottm, he tried to stop, but he didn't know how to put on his brakes. So he fell into the pond with a splash and stuck in the mud! When the driver found where the bus was, she telephoned for a tow truck to pull him out, and put him back on the road again.

The end.

Did you like the story? Lots of 3-5 year olds nearly die laughing when I tell them about the bus and his misdemeanors. And some of them stare at me blankly.

Okay, let me give you some context so you don't think I'm a complete nutcase. I'm doing this temporary research position that involves gauging little kids' grammar, vocab, and reading comprehension. The bus story is one of the stories we tell them to see how much they understand. So I work in two schools in the TDSB. It's pretty interesting because there are basically no white children in either of the schools. At all. Sometimes my coworkers and I will go into the playground at recess and play "spot the white kid." It's interesting for the first 30 seconds, until you realize no one can win.

Kids are great. Well most of them anyways. We give out stickers to bribe them to be good while we test them right...so one 3 year old insisted that I put a butterfly sticker on her nose. So I did. And then there are other kids who can't speak English at all. They like talking to me in their native tongues, and they repeat words over and over, thinking that I'm stupid for not understanding them. But yeah, I've come to the conclusion that kids are such interesting little human beings.

Finally, the piece de resistance. Meet Sivathepan: he licks himself beckus he is smart. Ahh, kids.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Call me a child but I laughed out loud when I read:

"He met a cow who said, 'moo! I can't believe me eyes!'"

Moo. That's seriouslu hilarious.

Anonymous said...

This bus is like the Napoleon Dynamite of buses.

Don't worry. I can substantiate this claim.

Sounds like you've stumbled onto a fun job for awhile.

Anonymous said...

Cinnamon!! Ah I love it!! :)

Anonymous said...

this was an excellent post. good job.
also, yes: that is a good job.

'liya said...

Sounds like interesting research, I'd be interested in knowing your findings when you're done!

BTW I lick myself because I'm smart too so I completely understand and think Sivathepan is the coolest :D

Asmaa said...

Sara, haha so I'm guessing you wouldn't be one of those kids who stare at me like I'm a moron for telling them a story about a bus.

Rizwan, please do substantiate your claim :)

Mars, lol you should've seen some of the others, too. There were kids the colour of chocolate "because I was borned in choclate." Kids the colour of honey, peaches, it's all very disruptive work to a fasting person actually.

Fathima, thanks. And thanks.

Liya, hehe good to know you side with my friend Sivathepan. Yeah this kid pretty much rocks for writing that.

mezba said...

You can't lick your elbow. :-D

I actually enjoyed the bus story. I thought there a moral in it.

Moral 1 - If a woman is trying to fix you - let her.

Moral 2 - Women can't fix buses.

OK I will run now :-P

Anonymous said...

There are different ways my claim can be substantiated.

1) Experience [i.e. you have to watch the film]

2) Reflection [i.e. you can remember references to the film that theoretically support my thesis which is that this bus is like the Napoleon Dynamite of buses]

Let's go with reflection for now.

First, like Napoleon, this bus is out to prove he's got nothing to prove.

Second, like Napoleon, if this bus were asked "what are you going to do today, bus?" The bus' behaviour in the story indicates that it would answer: "Whatever I feel like I wanna do. Gosh!"

Third, like Napoleon, the bus doesn't want to be "fixed."

Fourth, like Napoleon, the bus searches for people to race him (i.e. as Napoleon searches for people to play him)

Fifth, like Napoleon, he surprises others

Sixth, like Napoleon, he's awkward.

If you watch the film, you'll see an even stronger resemblance.

Finis.

Anonymous said...

LOL
beckus he's smart eh ?
funny ..

-T-

Asmaa said...

Mezba, I'm sure someone in the world can lick his oer her elbow. Your first moral is good. Your second is unsubstantiated. It's not that the woman couldn't fix the bus, it's that the bus was just clinically insane.

Rizwan, yes I've seen the film. I thought it was pretty amazing actually. Your points are valid...strangely enough :|

T, :D

Umar said...

that train in the story has an uncanny resemblance to Thomas the Tank Engine.

Copyright infringement!

MT said...

i would be one of those that would stare at you blankly if you told me the story

Anonymous said...

OMG UGHHH YOU'RE SO ANNOYING WHEN YOU TELL THAT STORY with a voice drizzled with insanity.

You memorized it freak.