Do I Need a Pencil Case? or Frivolous Purchases

Years ago one of my Korean students had this pencil case, and I thought it was one of the cutest things I had ever seen. I have posted that old picture here before.

It stayed in the back of my mind, then one of my current students showed up to class with the same pencil case; I asked her where she bought it, how much it was, said it was so cute . . . she probably will forever stereotype foreign teachers based on those five minutes. Anyway, turns out that she bought it for the measely equivalent of $5 at a store almost next to my apartment
building.

>Now, in my defense (and I do feel defensive), I did not rush out and buy it. That classroom conversation happened more than a month ago. But today, walking home from the subway--all hot and sweaty--I saw the store and thought, "Why not? I certainly don't need it, and will probably give it away as a gift before too long, but I want it; I want it to be mine just for a while."

So I went to the store, looked around, couldn't find the pencil cases, and was beginning to despair. Then, there they were--soft-skinned animal pencil cases, tossed randomly in a basket on a bottom shelf (how dare they?), with my one lone lion surrounded by a plethora of inferior animals: tigers and zebras and such not. But the lone lion was there, waiting for me to buy him, and buy him I did.

Yes, I am childish at times; after all, I have chosen to teach children. Childish, frivolous . . . not often; in fact, I think the two hardly ever combine, but today they did, and, perhaps, if I should be judged for anything, it should be for waiting so long to buy the thing. But, then again, I think I truly got pleasure from the (literally) years of anticipation.

Ahh, life's little pleasures:)