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\up0 \nosupersub \ulnone \outl0\strokewidth0 \strokec2 First grade had turned out even better than Kindergarten. I wished it would never ever end. Only then there\'92d be no summer. That would not be good since it was almost here. \
My teacher, Mr. H. planned our Field Day. I won the three legged race with my friend Marcyl \
Lots of our moms and dads had taken off from their work. They helped grill hot dogs and hamburgers. \
While we ate it looked like Mr. H. was having a meeting with our parents. It looked too serious for a Field Day but I guess grown-ups can be like that. \
The next day Mr. H. said he\'92d like to have a meeting with all of us, his first graders, too. After we all settled down around him, he told us \'93I want to share some good news with you. I\'92m retiring.\'94\
\'93What\'92s that mean?\'94 I wondered. \
\'93Well, it means that after 42 years of teaching, I won\'92t be working anymore,\'94 Mr. H. answered. \
\'93You mean it\'92s like summer forever for you?\'94 Marcy asked. \
Mr. H. chuckled and replied \'93Yup! \'94\
Lots of kids had lots of questions. I could only think of how I\'92d miss him. Right then and there I decided I needed to find a way to make him stay.\
At home I found a notebook that no one had used. I wrote a note to Mr. H. about all the things I\'92d miss about him. \
I\'92ll miss:\
* your silly jokes.\
* pictures of Penny, your new baby granddaughter.\
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\up0 \nosupersub \ulnone \outl0\strokewidth0 \strokec2 baseball  even though I route for another team.\
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\up0 \nosupersub \ulnone \outl0\strokewidth0 \strokec2 Reading cause you made it fun.\
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\up0 \nosupersub \ulnone \outl0\strokewidth0 \strokec2 Your laugh.\
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\up0 \nosupersub \ulnone \outl0\strokewidth0 \strokec2 Your welcome each morning when we get off the bus.\
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\up0 \nosupersub \ulnone \outl0\strokewidth0 \strokec2 The little paths you shovel in the snow in the winter to let us in\
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\up0 \nosupersub \ulnone \outl0\strokewidth0 \strokec2 Field Day!\
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\cf2 \strokec2 Marcy and I went around at recess to have everyone we could sign the book and write in it. \
It took a week but before long we had made a book with all the reasons he couldn\'92t \'93retire\'94.\
Marcy even suggested he move to second grade with us since we were \'93His best class ever.\'94 I thought that was brilliant. \
We gave him the book on the last day of school. He sat at his desk as we watched him read. He wiped his eyes a lot while he was reading it. But finally, he looked up smiling. \
\'93No class has ever made me feel so special\'85ever!\'94 he told us.\
That\'92s when Marcy blurted out \'93So you\'92ll stay and move with us to second grade!\'94 \
My heart raced with excitement waiting for his answer.\
He cleared his throat and said \'93No Marcy. I\'92m really retiring.\'94 Then he looked toward the door and said \'93I\'92d like you all to meet somebody. This is Princess Penny, my granddaughter. She\'92s here to visit for my last day. But she and my kids live far away. Mrs. H. and I are moving to spend a whole lot more time with them.\'94 \
Penny giggled as she lunged into Mr. H.\'92s arms. \
Then He looked at me and said \'93I\'92ll keep this book forever and someday show Penny just how special my last class ever was. Thank you.\'94\
Then he gave me a big hug.\
Mr. H. waved bye to all the buses on that last day with all the other teachers surrounding him. Every kid on every bus cheered for him as the busdrivers honked their horns for him.\
\
Maryellen Heller\
4 Harvest Hill Road\
Danbury CT 06811\
203-232-9355\
Word Count 560\
}