Neighborhood Teacher

Yesterday I was walking down a road in Blackstone, one I haven't been on in months. I came upon a man stacking firewood in his driveway while listening to a musical. I stopped and said hello and asked him which musical he was playing. Les Mis, he replied. I love musicals, I said, but I am not familiar with that one. It turns out he taught high school and middle school for 45 years here in Woonsocket. We chatted about how teaching is a form of theater. His face lit up as he told me stories about some of his students. Even his neighbors are former students, all grown up now.