The shoe’s on the other foot

I’ve never considered myself much of a disciplinarian but after a third of my year was taken up watching my dad at the University of Utah hospital, I’ve perfected the art… I like to think. Dating back to when I was a student at Hillcrest Elementary, William Thomas Middle School and American Falls High School, I liked to stir things up a little. A lot of my friends will attest that I still do but that’s a different story. I had some classes I enjoyed, and others, not so much. The ones I didn’t look forward to were times where I liked to get myself into trouble and I’m sure the teachers looked forward to seeing me as much as I did them. I’m not sure if I ever got the chance to apologize to them but I apologize.

My brother Robert is now a teacher at WTMS and offered me the 7th grade basketball coach position. Loving the sport, I accepted without hesitation. Talking with Robert, or now he goes by Mr. Crompton, I get to hear the other end of the story. I won’t get into too much detail but I hear myself in some of these stories Mr. Crompton tells me. I don’t think Mr. Crompton would appreciate 12-year-old-Preston’s antics very much. Which also makes me think I am going to get along just fine with these kids but won’t be afraid to lay down the law.

I’ve grown up and still have plenty left to do but apparently from my father’s point of view I’ve gotten to be fairly strict recently. During our time in the hospital they gave my dad a fairly short leash on what he could and couldn’t do. I didn’t want to get arrested for neglect so I followed those rules very close. A month or so ago my dad had a check up at the clinic here in American Falls and somewhere in the discussion my dad decided to put the family in order from the most fun to the least. I regret to inform everyone that I was at the bottom. I say this all in love and good fun but my mom, and Mr. Crompton were 1a and 1b in letting my dad do what he wanted and I was last.

Back when I was in middle school my parents heard everything I did and they would find out before I got home. I guess that’s one of the perks of working in the newspaper business. So much of my days walking home I could count on them waiting for me on the other side of the door with stern looks on their face. Now that I’ve been chosen as the most strict in the family I think I’m going to start setting ground rules for my parents and Mr. Crompton. If they don’t follow them, I’ll have to start taking privileges away immediately.