Good Bye Mr. Strauss

   There are many things from my mom's generation that baffle me, especially reading the ink off the obit page! If anyone in Jacksonville, Florida (My Hometown) dies, my mom has text me! Even from her hospital bed, I kid you not. Last week, in between breathing treatments, I received an email letting me know that my fifth grade teacher had died. Only you mom, maybe Trudy(my sister loved the obits also) would keep me in the death loop. I appreciate it, seriously. Good manners require us in the south, to crawl in the coffin and pay our respects! So again, thank you mom.
   Now back to the who?
   I have combed my house looking for the fifth grade class picture, to no avail. I will find it, and post it one day, and you will not remember the reason why? or maybe from my words, you will know Mr. Strauss.

   He was 91, which freaked me out. How could he be so old? In my minds eye he is in his late....oh I thought he was old back then, all of thirty something, this big man, my teacher. I had never had a male teacher, and was a nervous Nelly. His voice was low, his dress shirts were pressed, you could hear him coming a mile away. Very tall and broad shoulders, his sleeves always rolled up, in the sweltering heat of Florida. Our room, was a converted attic, and that was exciting. The fans would spin all day, dust and heat, coated your throat. I remember Mr. Strauss had sweat stains, and wore cologne. This was all new to me. My daddy wore tee shirts and did not sweat like this. This new teacher was very different, and it was all new territory to me. He was not funny, all business. He loved Math, which was when I knew, this was going to be a long, bad year.
  At some point, I told Mr. Strauss to "shut up" or something like that, and he smiled. I did not think anything about it, he was just bugging me, who knows, I blame the heat. I went home, mom said, "Get in the car." she did not say why. She pulled in at the school, and then it hit me, somehow she knows what I did. She marched me up to the attic, and there was Mr. Strauss. Mom said, " Bonnie, do you have anything to say to Mr. Strauss?" ( not really, he needs to not be so bossy!) ( and he needs to do more art!) I cringed and said, " I am sorry for talking bad to you." He was a gracious receiver, and mom never said another word about it. 
 Mr. Strauss was much nicer to me after that, I think he respected my opinion, just not my delivery! He was one of my best teachers, I love him even now.
   He loved geography and maps, which I love to this day.
   I remember his quite way of teaching.
   He spoke without many words.
   He touched my heart.
   I would see him over the years, and he would always smile at me, with  a funny look in his eyes. Like what are you going to say now, Miss Bonnie! He towered over me, and would lean down and tell me, how proud he was of all my accomplishments. He never lost touch with my entire family. He knew our history, he was a part of that history.
  I feel so thankful that he lived a long life, and hope that happiness filled each day.
 I remember the pink dress I was wearing the day, I talked back to him, it was itchy. I should have told him, that was why, I slipped and spewed mean words! Mom I told you I did not like that dress!
 Sorry Mr. Strauss, and know that I love you.