He Tried to Shake The Laziness Out of Me

But it didn't work. This water is long under the bridge, as should things that happened in 1979. Really, though, how can I forget such an important moment? The moment in life when I first learned that I'm lazy.

Rebbi wanted to know why I wasn't writing. I can't remember the assignment, though I'm pretty sure I had no idea of anything that ws going on in my first grade class.

Rebbi was walking the aisles and he stopped at my seat. I wasn't writing as were the other students.

It was a big classroom with long straight rows of desks neatly aligned like crosses in a military cemetery. I was sitting on the right side of the classroom, towards the middle to rear of the room. The classroom was quiet and he stopped by my desk. What he asked I can't recall, though to his question I answered that my pencil had broken; most likely a lie. He informed me that I was lazy.

"I'll shake the laziness out of you," Rebbi announced.

I don't think he yelled. While he may have been irritated at this extra bit of work he was being forced to do, he probably wasn't angry. In fact, at the root of it all, he may have felt he was performing a public service. Perhaps expected my father's gratitude and I have no idea if my father gave him anything for this devotion.

As soon as he said it, he grasped me by my upper arms, lifted me out of my chair, and proceeded to vigorously shake my body forward and backward several times.

I imagine after a couple of shakes he let go and I sat down.

I'm sorry to say it didn't work. Though I never thought of myself as lazy until that day, most 6-year-olds tend not to, I've understood that I am ever since.

Maybe Rebbi was doing it wrong.