Dear Teacher Eating Free Barbeque,
When it comes to the free barbeque, every educator falls into two camps- the first includes those who enjoyed the free barbeque with a side of warm baked beans. The second includes those who are thinking, "Wait. What? There was free barbeque?" Yep. There certainly was- Sonny's Barbeque at that- and dog on' you missed it yesterday.
I have no idea who spearheaded this wonderful promotion, but maybe, they will give you a raincheck if you call and explain you missed the offer because you were buried beneath a pile of papers that aimed to take your life and very well would have had you not strapped those bad boys to the hood of your car with some dental floss and drove 94 mph down Highway 90.
The humorous explanation is worth a try. I'm betting that if they are kind enough to recognize teachers even when it's not Teacher Appreciation week, that, unlike that fixed PDP deadline, they are also willing to be flexible and slather you up some sauce on Texas Toast without batting an eye. Even if they don't, I feel obliged to say, "Thank you, Sonny's."
Thank you for recognizing teachers. We love your barbeque, we really do, but it's no more about the barbeque than what we do is about the paycheck. The thank you is for merely noticing and caring because, at the end of the day, that's all anybody really wants.
We recognize, more than anyone, that it costs you something to provide free meals.
We've been serving up the same free services in the form of before school tutoring, after school mentoring, and home visits for years. Like you, we do not offer these services because we have to, we offer these services, because we get to. And in the giving, what we have discovered is that the sacrifice pales in comparison to the gain. This is why we keep giving year after year. We hope you will keep giving as well because right now we need to know someone cares, and honestly, we aren't too picky about where that kindness comes from, just so long as it comes. Heck, with the fragile state of teachers right now, opening a Dove chocolate wrapper with an inscription in the foil that says, "To teach is to touch a life forever," might reduce any one of us to a puddle of tears.
All of that to say, "That was some good barbeque," or so I have been told. I never actually made it to get my free combo, but I can tell you this much. The next time my testosterone-filled family wants barbeque I know where we are headed because it's a BIG DEAL, a very BIG DEAL, when someone shows you some slow cooked love.
Should I have put these words in a thank you card instead?
-CDB