In1973,I was teaching elementary school. Each day, 27 kids 1 "The Thinking Laboratory." That was the name students voted for after deciding that "Room 104" was too 2 .
Freddy was an average 3 , but not an average person .He had the rare balance of fun and kindness. He would 4 the loudest over fun and be the saddest over anyone's 5 .
Before the school year ended, I gave the kids a special 6 , T-shirts with the words "Verbs Are Your 7 " on them. I had advised the kids that while verbs may seem dull, most of the 8 things they do throughout their lives will be verbs.
Through the years, I'd run into former students who would provide 9 on old classmates. I learned that Freddy did several jobs after his10 from high school and remained the same 11 person I met many years before. Once, while working overnight at a store, he let a homeless man sleep in his truck. Another time, he 12 a friend money to buy a house .
Just last year, I was conducting a workshop when someone knocked at the classroom door. A woman 13 the interruption and handed me an envelope. I stopped teaching and opened it up. Inside were the "Verbs" shirt and a 14 from Freddy's mother. "Freddy passed away on Thanksgiving. He wanted you to have this."
I told the story to the class. As sad as it was, I couldn't help smiling. Although Freddy was taken from us, we all 15 something from Freddy.