The End of Molasses Classes by Ron Clark

Author:Ron Clark
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Touchstone

33

Be patient.

I was in the middle of writing this book, and I had a ton on my plate. I was at my parents’ home, and my mom asked me to go with her to spend the afternoon visiting a friend of the family who has a tendency to be a tad bit annoying. I quickly told Mom that I couldn’t possibly go because I needed to devote every possible second to finishing this book. Mom realized that she would be fighting a losing battle with me, and so she quickly turned to my dad and said, “Ronnie, I guess that means you’ll have to go.”

“Oh, hell no,” he replied, and then added, “Ron, you go with your mom, and I’ll write the damn book.”

Good grief. We all laughed, but then I finally gave in and said I’d go with mom. To my surprise, when I returned home, my father, who loves NASCAR, poker, Westerns, and Fleischmann’s gin, had kept his word. My laptop was open on the kitchen table and he had actually gotten on there and typed out a full page, and I decided to leave it in the book. And here it is:

When Ron told me all he had going on, being the good father I am, I asked if there was anything I could do to help him. Maybe go to Las Vegas, host a party, or make a speech?

“Well, yes, I want you to write a page in my new book.”

What have I done? Foot in mouth again! I told him I would try.

Dedication and patience are two things I think a good teacher must have. Patience is one thing I didn’t have when I was younger. Ron was about seven when I thought I would teach him how to mow the yard. I remember him telling me it was 95 degrees outside and 70 degrees inside and that a certain episode of Guiding Light wasn’t going to watch itself.

Oh, hell.

Well, I told him I didn’t care and he better get out there on that lawn mower right that minute. I picked him up and put him on the riding lawn mower and showed him how it worked and how to mow. He took off doing fine. I was so glad because now I had someone to help me with the yard.

So I went in the house to get us something to drink. When I came out, something didn’t look right. He was going up and down like I told him, but he was leaving about a twelve-inch streak each time. I stopped him and showed him again. He took off still leaving twelve inches each time. He knew I didn’t have any patience. I finally made him get off and go in the house. I could see him smiling through the back of his head.

I went on mowing the lawn myself for years. There were many days I was tired and didn’t want to bother with it, but I just did it myself. I didn’t

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