Froggy Friday

So today began like any other crazy Friday. We all get to school, go to our classes, and my students start piling in. Friday is always exciting because we have a special lunch thing, computer class, and show and tell.
I have 1 rule for show and tell as of now...”it has to fit in your backpack”. That is my only rule, I figured it would solve a lot of show and tell problems. But, I have kids that bring an extra backpack to fit their show and tell in and last week, sweet Brennan, brought his guinea pig and its giant cage. I reminded him of the backpack rule and he said, “Brownie will fit in my backpack, but he’d probably be dead for show and tell.” Good point, so I didn’t argue. I liked Brownie anyways.
So today, Brennan hauls in a giant clear plastic tub with a snap on lid that is duct-taped down. It has some murky water in it and lots of grass. We had to run off to computer so I didn’t really pay it much attention other than a quick glance. He did mention to me that it was a frog and I didn’t think much about it after that...until show and tell time that is.
So Brennan is first because the kids are asking to see the frog. I get the container and bring it up front. I couldn’t really see inside of it very well because the container was all foggy inside. So Brennan hands me this little flashlight. He proceeds to tell me that his mom said you can take the lid off and shine this light in his eyes and he will be still and everyone can look at him. “Well sure”, I thought. I actually kind of like frogs...tree frogs. I put my little surgical gloves on just in case I end up touching the thing. I sat the cage down on my cabinet and my whole class piles in around me. So I begin removing the duct tape (which was difficult with my gloves already in place), I then notice something, the eyes on this guy are pretty darn big for a frog. I unsnap the lid and then notice his long, muscular frog leg. I had a quick mental picture of the times I've eaten frog legs and realize these legs are comparable. I start thinking this through and began to ask Brennan how big this guy is. Right about that time, BOOM. I look, it has jumped up and knocked the lid off. Then before I can blink, it leaps out of its box and is headed right at me. HE IS ENORMOUS. I panic, he lands on my cabinet and then plops on the floor. He is jumping everywhere. I scream and take off running for the door (with my entire class on my heels). I stop. I realize I am the teacher here, I have to do something. The frog is jumping up and down and he can jump really high. I tell everyone to sit at their desk and remain calm. The frog is now hopping around behind my desk. Matter of fact, I am standing in front of my desk (far away) and I can see him because he is jumping higher than my desk. The kids want to know what to do if it comes by them. I tell them all to put their feet up, but seriously, this thing could clear them easily. I run next door to get my teacher friend. I simply tell her I need her help catching a frog right quick and she might want some gloves. We run back in my class and she sees it behind my desk jumping halfway up the wall. “What is that thing?”, she asks. “It’s a large frog”, I tell her. She says there is no way she’s touching him. I radio for help. The maintenance guy is off campus. Uh, oh. But three other women came running in with another guy and they are all in awe at the size of this thing. I quickly gathered that none of them were going for him.
Then behind them comes my sweet husband. He is at school to eat lunch with Caleb and was coming up to complain because I forgot to tell him he was supposed to bring his own lunch. He scopes out the situation and walked right over and picked up the frog with his bare hands and put in his cage. My Hero!!!
Needless to say, I didn’t get my class under control the rest of the day. Many of them told me that this was the best day of their lives. A small sacrifice for the heart attack I nearly had!! Today will be remembered as Froggy Friday.