“Mama, do you know the gentleman from that motorcycle?”

Photography: Kee & Kee

“Wow mom, look what a big engine!” Julian points to a sports bike across the street. “Hi, Miss Kirsten!” I see how a young man sits on the saddle, his helmet hangs on the handlebars. He raises a hand cheerfully. Wow, what a familiar face. Suddenly I remember: he was one of the students in my first class. I was twenty-two at the time and had just finished my education. I remember being thrilled that very first day. Nice and exciting, I think my students and I looked at each other expectantly. How we have grown since then, literally and figuratively.

“Suddenly I remember: he was one of the students from my first class”

“Mommy, do you know the gentleman from that motorcycle?” As Julian takes my hand, I wave to the boy across the street. He has now put on his helmet and steps on the kickstart. A growling sound is heard. “Yes, he was in my class.”

Time flies

Julian and I walk home through the park, chatting about big motorcycles and what else is on wheels. Suddenly he looks at me questioningly: ‘But mom, you were a seventh grade teacher, weren’t you?’ Well, that the young man was Julian’s age when he was in my class, I was shocked for a moment. How fast time flies. In seventeen years Julian will be as old and tall as he is – and he will no longer ride a boy’s bike.

As we walk along and I muse about what my son’s life might look like in a few years, Julian’s phone rings. ‘My friends want to play football, they’ll pick me up in a minute. Is that good?’ “Yes dear, of course.” As long as they don’t drive up with roaring sports engines, I think it’s fine.