"Ok," I state loudly over the din of excited chatter. The students arrange themselves in cuddle puddles on the rug to watch their classmates perform a scene in our improv class. I have drawn Sam, Bart, and Jerome's names at random. The boys stand on our "stage" now, hands in pockets, shifting from one leg to the other, awaiting my direction.
"This game is called 'Who, What, Where.' I'll tell you who you are, what you are doing, and where you are, and you'll take it from there. Remember to agree and build and stay in the same universe. You are at the beach, about to build a sandcastle. Two of you are children, and one is a parent. Ready?"
"I'm the parent!" both Sam and Bart yell at the same time. Laughter.
"Ok there can be two parents, and Jerome can be the child, then." I revise. Jerome smiles and nods. Sam gets down on one knee with his hands outstretched to Bart, as though he is about to propose. The class erupts with laughter.
"Sam is proposing! Sam and Bart are getting married!" a girl shouts. More nervous laughter.
"I don't want to be the wife!" Bart stretches his arms out and looks at me incredulously, with wide eyes and a shocked expression.
Sam, still on one knee, turns to me and says, "Well I don't want to be the wife either." He crosses his arms over his chest.
I want to make this a teachable moment for equality. I want to tell them both to be dads, but I worry about what kind of intolerant comments will erupt. I mentally run through the possibilities. Before I can decide whether to go there or not, a girl from the audience does the job for me.
"There doesn't have to be a wife, duh. You can both be dads," she yells. I freeze, awaiting the "Ewws" and awkward laughter. It doesn't come.
Sam and Bart look at each other. Their eyes light up. "Yeah!" they both yell. Sam is still on bended knee. Now Bart kneels down to join him. They are facing each other, each on their knee, each with their hand stretched out to the other.
"Will . . ." Sam begins.
"you. . ." Bart follows.
"marry. . ." says Sam
"me?" finishes Bart.
"Oh Sam!" Bart exclaims, putting his hand over his heart. "I thought you'd never ask!"
"Oh Bart! I've felt this way for so long! We'll make such a happy family!" They embrace each other.
Then Jerome pops through the middle of them and exclaims, with outstretched arms, "And then I was born! Waaahhh!" Roaring applause.
The audience is laughing. Sam, Bart, and Jerome are laughing. I am laughing. Not awkward laughter. Not laughter filled with "gross" or "eww" comments. Just hearty, friendly, supportive laughter.
And that's why I love this school. And why I'm hopeful about our future.
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