When I arrived at my school I inherited a soccer ball from my predecessor. Once the students realised I had it and was willing to lend it out they would often come by at lunchtime to ask to borrow it. More often than not I would not be at my desk when they wanted it...so they would take it. Usually they would return it....but sometimes they didn't. Eventually I never saw it again. Since there were still students asking to "borrow a ball" I went to the local sports store and bought a new one.
Long before it's time, the soccer ball became flat. It softened to a point but didn't flatten completely...so the students kept borrowing it. It was perfect for their needs: A version of monkey in the middle where the ball is kicked/thrown at the monkey in order to hit him. If the 'monkey' catches it, his changes positions with the person who kicked/threw the ball.
I guess they were better off with a soft soccer ball.
Anyways, they would play this game under, and around the very tall trees lining the entrance to my school. At times the ball would get kicked high into the air and fall through the trees. I always wondered if any of the ball got stuck in the trees....
I was about to find out.
I've been a bit of a nazi about getting the soccer ball back at the end of the lunch hour. One day this week they didn't bring it back. After class in the afternoon I went upstairs to confront the students I knew had had it last. One of them is a particular favourite from the month long winter camp we had in January. I saw him in the hallway and approached him:
Me: Hyeon Jun, where's my soccer ball?
HJ: Hehehehehe. I don't know....hehehehe.
Me: What do you mean you don't know?
HJ: Weeeeellll......hehehehehehe.
Me: Where's the ball?
HJ: Teacher...uh, friend kick the ball....ball goes whoosh...*points upwards*...*keeps looking up*....ball is in a tree.
Me: It's in a tree? Which tree?
HJ: *waves in the direction of the front gate*...Hehehehehe
Me: *sigh.
On my way home, passing under the trees, I tried to look for the ball. I couldn't see it anywhere.
The next day, yesterday, I was walking outside at lunchtime. Hyeon Jun and his friends saw me and pulled me over. They point up...up...up into a tree. Sure enough, about 40 or 50 feet up, caught at the crux of three branches, was my soccer ball.
When I asked who put it there they just laughed....except one student who was standing in the back, pointing to another student. When I asked his name and called him out....he ran away.
I went back later to find them desperately trying to retrieve the ball.
First, they tried to climb the tree. Fail.
Second, they tried to throw brooms up to knock it out. Fail. And loss of several brooms.
Third, they tried to throw another, miniature soccer ball (mine as well) up in the tree. Fail. I took it away.
The day ended and the ball was still there. It was still there when I came to school this morning. Looks like I left my mark on this school.
Until the next big storm anyways.
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