As a second-grade teacher with 15 years of experience, I’ve heard my fair share of show-and-tell stories. But one particular tale still makes me chuckle to this day.
It started when Erica, a bright and outgoing student, brought in a pillow stuffed under her sweater and a snapshot of her baby brother, Luke. She proudly announced, “Today, I’m going to tell you about his birthday.”
With a mischievous grin, Erica explained how her parents “made” Luke as a symbol of their love. She described how her dad put a “seed” in her mom’s stomach, and Luke grew inside, eating through an “umbrella cord” for nine months.
The class was already enthralled, but Erica’s antics were only just beginning. She mimed her mom’s labor pains, complete with a hilarious duck walk and groans. “My dad called the middle wife,” she said, “she delivers babies, but she doesn’t have a sign on her car like the Domino’s man.”
Erica’s reenactment of the birth was priceless. She lay down, miming her mom’s position, and described the “bag of water” that “blew up and spilled all over the bed.” The class erupted into giggles.
The pièce de résistance came when Erica described the “middle wife” coaching her mom to “push, push” and “breathe, breathe.” With a flourish, Erica announced, “And then, out comes my brother! He was covered in yucky stuff from Mom’s play-center.”
The class applauded wildly, and I joined in, trying to stifle my laughter. Erica took a triumphant bow and returned to her seat, leaving us all in stitches.
From that day on, I made sure to bring my camcorder to show-and-tell, just in case another “Middle Wife” story came along. Erica’s infectious energy and creativity reminded me that sometimes, the best stories come from the most unexpected places.
