The Adventures Of Miss Wally Wall

For the past fifteen years I have wandered artistically through the hallways and the outside fields of Aurora Senior Public School, and for a few years at George Street Public School, as a school assistant during the lunch hour from September to June of each year. I have worked though all kinds of weather: rain, snow, and sunny days. I’ve cared for all of the students: some who stayed but a brief time; some with learning disabilities some having gifted abilities; and a few students whom I knew since Junior Kindergarten who have now graduated from grade eight. Each year, I shed a few tears when I realized that the grade eight classes would begin a new journey in their educational lives. I wished them great success.

On some occasions, I do run into them and each young lady or young man tells me what they are doing in the world now. Most have gone onto college, university, or are graduating from grade twelve as I write. But whatever happens, they were part of my life and I guess each day at school, I was part of theirs. My favorite moments were when those lost students were struggling, or, at times, behaving badly then found their way only to cross paths with me during the summer. In excited thoughts, they told me how well they are doing now in their lives. This story began long ago when I was sitting in my living room. One day I thought, “God if someone knocks on my door and offers me a job, I will take it.”

About two days later, Linda would do exactly that. I had volunteered with her for The Aurora Agricultural Society Horse Show and Fair. Her own two children went to Aurora Senior Public School and she too assisted at lunch. I kept my pact with God and I have remained there for the past fifteen years.

I know one day my time will come for me, to leave but something has always kept me there all these years. It was of course the students.

I’ve told you now a bit about how I got here.

In 2008, I decided to start writing stories based upon some of my experiences here. I invite you now to please get ready for The Adventures of Miss Wally Wall. Deborah Lynn Valerian Campo

The Adventures Of Miss Wally Wall

The Poo Story Finale

Well just when I had thought I had written enough stories to conclude the chapters in The Adventures of Miss Wally Wall something rather unique happened the other day which prompted me to think well I just got to add this one last story. Who would believe this could actually happen during lunch.  While wandering the blacktop I walked over to a group of students at the picnic tables to inquire how they were doing. Suddenly the group of boys and girls became silent which if it wasn’t the orange vest from a distance that gave me away it was my presence. So I asked what ya all doing?  James replied truth or dare.

I said I’m in and I sat down. James thought for a moment then asked the big question, “Would I kiss Mr. __________? Oh NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO way I said I only would kiss my husband! Well what about this teacher Mr.__________ James asked again? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO way again I said I would only kiss my husband! These two questions I answered made me think back to my early childhood and the game of spin the bottle when some yucky boy wins the moment. Yeuuuuuuuuuu once again came to mind for me. After lots of giggles and laughter about my comments from the picnic table group of students it was my turn. I looked around and suddenly it came to me I saw the dare moment. It was the humungous hanging plastic blue bag of dog poo. This blue bag of dog poo object was stuck up on a tall tree branch since late fall. How it got up the tree well anyone can figure out some careless individual probably thought it was a good idea thus avoiding the view of the garbage can that was under the tree in the first place. There the blue bag of dog poo remained during one of our fiercest winters in Canadian history freezing rock solid as a boulder hanging close to the edge of a cliff waiting to roll off and crush whatever was in its path as an ACME gadget the coyote sets up to catch the roadrunner. There the blue bag of dog poo hovered swaying in the wind balancing on the maple tree branch limb until it began slowly thawing out for the welcoming of spring.  Still hanging on for dear life and limb the blue bag of dog poo had the staying power of crazy glue bolted to that tree branch. Just what kind of dog made it in the first place? From these puzzling questions and the nearing of the end of the school year and summer beginning it would be only a matter of time that well the blue bag of dog poo could rip and the gross out smelly contents fall as gravity does indicate. Or perhaps it would only be a matter of time that well Christopher Columbus discovers the world yet again bringing the treasure of this new discovery upon us. But I Miss Wally Wall decided to help the moment along. I was sick of seeing this ugly object of blue poo the whole school year loom like an icicle hanging over Snoopy waiting to drop in a Peanuts cartoon. So I chose this precise moment to conquer unknown territory take a risk and well help nature out from all the world is a stage and use the dare game question which came in handy to James I dare you.

I dare you James to knock down the blue bag of dog poo hovering ten feet in the tree nearby. Faster than Spiderman James being an athletic hockey player took up the challenge and started to try and climb the tree. I told him not too and to find another solution since incase he falls and it would ruin his potential multimillion dollar NHL hockey contract in the distant future. I had myself only two years ago fall out of a tree breaking my foot while playing which is another story. James decided to use also his best school friend Glen and a basketball. The girls and I started to cheer for every ball throwing moment at the blue bag of dog poo. Glen would throw then James then Glen then finally James nailed it.  Within four shots the basketball hit the blue dog poo bag lifting it off the branch soaring it into a vertical limit in the sky above. Then as nature would have predicted it broke open and well dog poo from the blue bag fell in every direction. At that same precise moment a miracle happened no one got hit with the flying dog poo debris and at the same precise moment all of us could be heard yelling yeuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu at the top of our lungs.  This of course made us all laugh and I couldn’t stop. To me it symbolized the perfect day some days are good and some days are crappy. This moment of a dare was probably the most memorable ever on the planet. Thank you to Amid the boy who placed the empty blue dog poo bag into the garbage can right after the event. The bell rang and the truth or dare gang giggled all the way into the school proving yes we can have a darn good time over absolutely weird stuff. I can guarantee that this problem wasn’t the best teaching skills to the students I could have used or the best parenting skill moment but a dare is a dare after all. I tend to feel James, Glen and I rescued the whole school from potently dog poo drop mishap ignoring better judgment for a dare. Why no one else ever thought about it I have no idea. Strange things end up in trees still like a shirt, a shoe, a hat or a sock which adds to the mystery. We still never solved the Sherlock Holmes mystery of how the blue bag of dog poo got there in the first place? Yes we all at least once in our lives step in some. Seagulls are another story.

© Deborah L. V. Campo 2023