Easy Money

“You will substitute for . . . “

I am half asleep as I listen for the name. After going to bed at two last night, I should not even be up this early. Why did I pick up the phone? The substitute locater system is on the prowl and I am easy prey. I refuse to be slaughtered today.

But would it really be that bad? I cannot bring myself to hang up; I need to know. “Okay,” I promise myself, “I will hang up, roll over, and go back to bed just as soon as I get the name.”

“Mr. X.”

Twenty minutes later, I walk into the same drama class I had walked out of last week at Mia High School. Part of me is devastated that I broke my promise. “I will never trust myself again.” I promise. Then again, I realize that I am pretty good about breaking those sorts of things. Besides, Mr. X has a two hour prep period that will allow me to blog, eat, and sleep (not necessarily in that order). I cannot not pass up the chance to get paid to do something that I was going to do for free anyway.

Mr. X has the best schedule of any teacher I know. He teaches two drama and speech classes, and gets two prep periods–two! Since MHS is on block scheduling, he only has three periods (out of six) per day at about 2 hours a piece. That means I walk into his first period class, take roll, and assign the drama students to practice their parts in the theater as I read The 4-Hour Workweek.

Next, I get a two hour break to blog–something I would have done at anyway. Then, I get an hour for lunch (after all this work my stomach is screaming for food, as if I had not been snacking the whole time anyway). Finally, I get another long break due to a scheduling mix-up until it is time to go home at 2:15.

Ultimately, I was paid for taking roll, blogging, and eating lunch. Although I could of used the extra sleep, who is going to past up such easy money?

Not me.