"What's wrong with your eyeball?"

I knew that when I subbed in a first grade and kindergarten classroom this question was inevitable. It was actually asked a lot later than I expected. I was sure that the first student who saw me would ask about my eye (the broken blood vessel from LASIK, remember), but really they all just stared at me.

For a while I thought maybe I had another head, but then I remember my eye. The first brave sole to ask was a first grade little girl, then most of the other kids chimed in with "Yay, what happened? Does it hurt? Are you okay? Your eye looks bloody!"

I tried to be a little gentle with precious K & 1st grade ears and explain how it happened without scaring them. I think they got the gyst -- at least without losing their lunch.

In an afternoon K class I had the best reactions. After I told them what happened a little boy said in the most gentle voice,

"Mrs. Harris, your eye doesn't bother me." How sweet.

Then, a little girl said,

"You look like a vampire!"

And to that comment I opened my eye really big and said, "Yes! Just in time for Halloween! Bwahaha"

I guess I'm all set for Halloween this year - vampire it is.