CAN THE SUBSTITUTE TEACHER REPORT TO THE OFFICE?

I’ve been substitute teaching to pay the bills while job hunting and I’ve really come to enjoy it. Surprisingly, the middle school has become my favorite place to sub, even with a 7:35 a.m. start time. Today was one of those mornings where I left with precisely enough time to arrive before the bell but managed to catch traffic and there were no available parking spots, hurray. After circling three times, I have two choices: handicap or the deputy sheriff’s spot. Deputy Sheriff’s spot it is! 

Getting a jump start on begging for forgiveness, I hurry into the office and tell Cathy I’m parked illegally because that’s all that was available at the moment but can come back to move it and oh, yeah, it’s in the deputy’s spot. 

“The deputy’s spot? Give me your keys, I’ll move your car for you.” You don’ know Cathy, but all you need to know is that she works in the office and I’ll do whatever she tells me to do because she’s Cathy. I give her my keys and get to my class. Fast forward to third hour and I get a call from Cathy.

“Can you swing by the office during your conference hour?”

“Sure thing.” It’s either about my car or I’m getting fired, there can be no other explanation. I get to the office and Cathy tells me the deputy wants to see me. Ah, I’m getting arrested, wildcard!

The deputy is a nice woman whose name I am completely blanking on but her K-9 companion is an adorable spaniel and I’m blanking on her name, too. It’s something but they call her something for short. Anyway, the deputy greets me by telling me my license is expired.  

Now, I’ve been living in Michigan almost six years now, so it makes sense my driver’s license would be up for renewal. Fun thing about Michigan license renewals: everyone’s expiration is based on their birthdate, whereas every other state I’ve been in it’s been based on date of issuance and your license expires on the last day of that month. I also have ADHD and time blindness, so I’m your basic loveable mess.

The deputy informs me that, legally, she cannot allow me to drive but that she isn’t going to issue me a ticket after I gave her the roundabout version of the previous paragraph. She will, however, allow me to go move my car out of her spot. Also, do you have someone you can call that can pick you up? Technically, yes, but I’ve also left my phone at home, so I will use the school’s phone, I guess?

Luckily, you can renew your license online, which I did when I got back to my classroom. By the time I walked back to the office to pick up my printed copy of my “temporary operator’s permit,” the deputy popped her head out to let me know that it had already updated in the system and I was good to go. And, like a real grown up, I got to drive home from school all by myself.