The Walk: ........Uriah the Hittite.......

Friday, April 21, 2006

........Uriah the Hittite.......

I tutor in the Reading Clinic on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. The student I was assigned this semester was a 5th grader who's name is Uriah. I call him Uriah the Hittite. I told my brother about Uriah and he said, "Uriah the Hittite is one of my favorite characters in the Bible." So I reread about Uriah and I'll have to agree with Mark. He was one tight, loyal and fierce dude. Uriah was a bit shy at first but over the weeks we have become close. Our schedule begins with a trip to the Computer Lab where he works on some really amazing reading software. Then the next 40 minutes are just about me and him. We usually go plant ourselves at the tables by the snack bar, in the Administration Building. The nice lady there gave Uriah a free donut one day, so we always position ourselves close so that she might see us and Uriah may get another handout. It works. Yesterday, Uriah forgot his own reading book so we had to pick one from the Reading Clinic library. It looked like a good one. There was a picture of an indian on the front that Uriah said reminded him of Last of the Mohicans...okay..we got us some prior knowledge. "Today", I told Uriah, "I will read a page and then you will read a page." He agreed and I started reading. I fumbled over some pretty elaborate indian names. When it was Uriah's turn I told him to just pronounce them however he wanted to. Man, whatever happened to "Running Bear" or "Brave Elk", I mean these names were brutal to try to pronounce. Uriah is hilarious when he comes to one of these names..we start to get a bit tickled. I realize I need to get myself together and make sure his Mom get's her money's worth for this tutoring session. Then this little indian talks about drinking too much cider and needing to go outside. He goes outside.."unbuttons and relaxes" seriously..that was in the book. I try to keep it together and I did well until the rosebush begins to talk to the indian. Uriah and I look at each other and let loose with some uncontrollable laughter. I mean, we can't stop. I realize maybe Uriah and I just needed to laugh and that's a pretty big lesson to learn so I felt he didn't get cheated. I told him it was time to go and he said, "'This time goes by so fast." I love those pure moments when two people meet and feel better for it.
I was thinking how this semester has been alot about struggles and battles, for me, and just maybe God gave me a boy named Uriah, who is named after a warrior in King David's army...

30 comment(s):

I like this story, Bev. Thanks for sharing! I love those sweet moments with kids. I don't think they even have a clue how much it can mean to us.

By Jeans, at 6:14 AM

Bev thanks for sharing a Spirit moment. Bathsheba must have been the first OC Housewife.

By happytheman, at 6:16 AM

jeans..i know those little stinkers just brighten my day..

happy..you are welcome..and hahahha..that's funny..

By Beverly, at 7:00 AM

I love this story, too. Uncontrollable spontanteous laughter is the best; it definitely creates a bond. I wish I could will it here more often :)

By Laurie, at 7:15 AM

oh Beverly, I would give anything to have been sitting at the next snack table observing you two. Laughter like that is infectious!

By Candy, at 8:15 AM

Did you hear the one about the Indian who was lost in the desert? When he found his way home he stopped at the first cafe and ordered a pitcher of tea. After he drank it he ordered another and another and another. Then he went home. The next day he was found dead. He had drowned in his tea pee.

By Clint, at 8:18 AM

that made me laugh!

By Candy, at 9:29 AM

Man, Clint, I am trying so hard not to laugh ... HHHHHAAAAhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

Bev, Uriah's mom got more than she paid for that day! And tutoring sessions like that, well, let's just say Uriah will always remember you, and might even want to be a linguist at a later date. Having fun exploring new sounds in an environment that allows you to express yourself freely is one of the things that makes reading such a joy.

Great lesson, Teach!

:)

By Deb, at 11:35 AM

PS: Clint, please could you spell the 'tea' as 'tee' so that the next time I put the kettle on I don't have to go into convulsions? We appreciate a good cuppa over here ... ;)

By Deb, at 11:38 AM

A little boy goes to the chief and says, "Hey, chief, I got a question to ask you."

The chief replies, "Ask, little one."

"How do you come up with the names around here???" the boy demanded.

"Well, I go into the teepee to see the newborn child. Then I go outside, and the first animal I see, I name the child. So if I see a Flying Eagle, that's the child's name, or a Running Deer, or a Fighting Bear..." the chief explained.

"Huh," the boy grunted. "Well, I guess that makes sense. Well, thanks for answering my question, chief."

"Anytime, Pooping Dog. Anytime."

By Scott, at 11:52 AM

deb, i will do what i can

scott, i heard that joke but with 2 dogs doing happy's word.

By Clint, at 1:09 PM

Scott and Clint, I don't know if I could survive a good OR bad meal with both of you at the table!

Clint, you are a good man -- we'll put the kettle on in your honour the next time you come for a visit! :)

(Blog Retreat in the UK, Summer 2007!)

By Deb, at 1:16 PM

deb, you bloody well better.

By Clint, at 1:33 PM

oh..okay..I have been gone all day and you guys have been talking amongst yourself...

By Beverly, at 2:37 PM

hi

from sam

By Beverly, at 2:38 PM

that tea pee was funny..so was the indian joke, scott...well, i guess you just never know where your blog will turn..
you guys better just hope there aren't any native americans reading your unpolitically correct jokes..

By Beverly, at 2:49 PM

i was referring to people from india

By Clint, at 3:10 PM

Yeah, I was going to ask, "Ghandi or Sitting Bull?"

But Clint beat me to it.

BTW, am I the only one that things of 70s Prog Rock band Uriah Heap everytime I see the name Uriah??? I'm with Beverly, he's one of the best OT fellers.

By Scott, at 3:43 PM

Wassup, Sam?

By Scott, at 3:43 PM

Yo Sam! how ya doin'?

Yeah, Beverly it's been a regular party around here - i've been sitting back watching and laughing my scott's word off.

By Candy, at 3:52 PM

Just FYI... the term 'bloody' is considered very uncouth to use: it is another term for the 'f---' word, so not many, ummm, people of faith use it regularly.

Hollywood has embarrassed itself on a universal level, because they know most Americans don't know this, and they have used this word to get around the language standards ratings when they knew the 'F'word would not be approved.

I guess Americans think it sounds cool and 'veddy British', but I have mortified myself in public over here when I innocently used the term.

Just a caution ... ;)

Hi, Sam! When is school out for the summer? Hope you are feeling better!

By Deb, at 4:04 PM

uh oh thanks for letting us know, deb..
sam is long gone..he commented then ran..

By Beverly, at 4:28 PM

sorry deb but happy said it was ok

By Clint, at 4:57 PM

I didn't say bloody was okay you booger!

By happytheman, at 5:49 PM

Did my English grandma slap me for bloody or booger, hell I think it was both.

By happytheman, at 5:50 PM

happy, if B#$%&* is the same as F*#$, then you used it making it ok.

By Clint, at 7:10 PM

i'm glad this is beverly's blog

By Clint, at 7:11 PM

aww..I love it when I come home and you guys have been talking on my blog..it's like you made yourself some ice tea and made yourself at home.

By Beverly, at 8:39 PM

boys..behave!!

By Beverly, at 8:58 PM

Happy, your granny forgot to slap that smirk off your face!

Clint, I thought you went to the beat of a different Indi -- oops! I mean -- Drummer.

Bev, I think the boys have been having a pint of more than just a wee tea...

By Deb, at 12:28 AM