They Really Do Love Me

Although I sense that I am well liked by both the kids and the adults at the club, it's sometimes difficult to say whether that's truly the case. For example, a pair of fifteen-year-old girls I teach exclaimed "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you" when I bumped into them on the Santa Cruz Wharf. Given their tone though, I was inclined to take this as a friendly sort of greeting. Every so often, however, I get clear evidence that I am indeed appreciated. One such instance is the aforementioned fortieth birthday cake. And just this last week I received another encouraging sign.

Thanks to the same pair of female teenagers, I am now gazing at a highly edited, unflattering picture of myself. Apparently they had some fun with photoshop and thought it entertaining to alter my appearance with paste on features (including a handlebar mustache). Across the top it reads "We Love you Jeremy!". Although it was originally signed only by the nefarious pair in question, a couple other teenage girls I teach anxiously added their names after covertly viewing my "present".

Contrary to being offended, I'm flattered they took the time to mock me. All the same, I loudly informed the girls' parents that they were not to let their daughters use photoshop again any time soon.