Speeding and Playing Hooky

Lombard, Illinois was known as the home of the Lilac Festival, a pretty little suburb with wide streets leading into the heart of the town.  My agenda after school one day, loyal citizen and good Catholic girl that I was, included a trip to city hall to register to vote and a quick stop at church for confession.  Can't remember the nature of my sins, but I hope they were good ones.

Pressed for time--hmm, that sounds familiar--I was clipping along the main road eager to get those sins off my chest.  Guess I was clipping along a little too quickly, because the familiar sound of a siren got close enough to tell me to pull over.  Yet another sin to confess, it seems. Yes, I was going 45 in a 30 mph zone.  Lombard's finest had my ticket completely written out and was in the process of handing it to me when he seemed to reconsider.

Him: "So, do you know where the City Hall is located?"
Me:"Yes, I do, officer.  I was just there to register to vote."
Him: "I see those piles of papers on the seat next to you.  Are you a teacher?"
Me: "Yes, I am. I teach 4th grade in Glen Ellyn.  And, what's more, I am on my way to confession."

I don't think that tactic would work for a 60-something soon-to-be-retired teacher, but it worked like a charm for the thin, twenty-two year old cute young thing I was back then.  He actually tore up the ticket and sent me on my way. I'm sure I must have said a prayer or two of thanksgiving on my way to the church.

The two years I spent teaching in Illinois were full of carefree adventures, lots of dating and some very late nights.  One morning just before 9 am, Judy and I had a phone call from the school secretary--the same one who had sent me home to change out of the culotte dress.  Seems school had already started and  they were wondering whether we had planned to make an appearance.  Lucky for us (?), the principal was with Judy's class, and Anita, the permanent sub the building had hired, was with my little darlings.  I guess they must have liked us, because we didn't even get into any trouble.  We simply dressed as quickly as possible, waltzed in and went on with our day.

It was in Illinois that I met Peter who taught me about toga parties, how to shoot clay pigeons and how to get rid of my inhibitions.  One day he called to say that the World Series was starting the next day and did I want to take the afternoon off to watch it with him in a local pub.  Believing in honesty, I went into school for the morning and told the secretary--yep, that one--that I wanted the afternoon off so I could go watch the "World Series."  She must have thought I was kidding about the World Series and said that Anita could take my class for the afternoon. I went home to change into jeans and spent the afternoon watching Detroit beat St. Louis.  On the next day, when asked about "the game," I said it was great. Gosh, I was crazy back then!