Catholic Singles

GETTING EVEN
BY: MARK ANTHONY ROSOLOWSKI


I was a little angel when I was in Saint Patrick's Elementary School. I was such an angel that in the alcove outside of Sister John Francis' Office was a chair with my name on it. I had my own personal chair and I was only in First Grade, I made the big time at an early age.

It honestly was not that I was misbehaving; it is just that the Sister's were not ready for a person like me to come along. Every morning we stood by our desks to say our prayers and each week we changed the student that led the prayer. So here we are about 13 weeks into the school year and it is my turn. I stand there and say, the Old Man, the Kid and the Spook. All Sister did was point to the door, everyone was laughing, I had accomplished my goal, I got people to laugh. I was smiling as I went and sat in my chair outside the Office.

I sat in my chair and waited to be summoned into Sister's Office, the dreaded time came and I went into her office, as I stood there she looked at me and said, "Mark, what am I going to do with you?” I had an answer, I truly did, but as I opened my mouth Sister told me to be quiet, and sit in the chair facing the corner. I sat there until she called me out and gave me my lecture, telling me I have to listen, explaining that I must keep my mouth closed and listen and do as told. Mostly, she told me to please behave. I smiled said, "Okay, Sister", and I went back to my classroom.

I would like to say that I did learn, but I did not, my trips to Sister's Office increased in Second Grade. I learned that you can be sent to the Principal for just about anything, like pulling a chair away as your big sister starts to sit in and lands on the floor. As I stood there Sister John Francis, looked at me shaking her head and asking, "Mark, what am I going to do with you?” I opened my mouth and just got "Sister" before she interrupted me told me to be quiet and sit in the chair facing the corner. The time looking at the corner began to get longer, but as always it did finally come to an end. Sister called me out, lectured me on how dangerous what I did was, to start thinking before I act, and to behave. I smiled and said “I will, Sister”, and headed back to class.

The same situations continued to happen to me all during my time in Saint Patrick’s School, to the point I had a second set of books at the chair so I could study while sitting there. I was accomplishing a lot though, I had an audience that was laughing at my misdeeds and I always had extra time to study.

After I left Saint Patrick’s, I continued being the Class Clown. I had an audience and I did enjoy making people laugh, I enjoyed bringing a smile to their faces. But, the one thing that was missing was Sister John Francis, I had left Saint Patrick’s and she stayed there. I never realized how much I would miss hearing, “Mark, what am I going to do with you?”

Years passed and I continued trying to make people laugh, co-workers, shipmates, and the patients that I encountered as a Paramedic. I always wanted to put people at ease and get a smile.

A day came and we got an Emergency Call to Saint Patrick’s School, the Main Office, and a female with Chest Pain. My partner and I went into the office and we were directed to the Principal, and there she was, Sister John Francis, sitting at her desk and clutching her chest.

She looked up and smiled, “Mark, I see you still have to come to my office”, we laughed and we did an exam of her, asking questions we learned the pain started about an hour ago, but she had taken 3 Nitroglycerin tablets and was feeling better. I talked to Sister and told her she should go to the hospital, she looked at me and said, “Mark, I am doing okay, I will be alright”, then she added, “If I get worse I will go to the hospital”.

By now a few other Sisters’ were standing at the door to the office and I saw an opportunity of a life time, I stood up, looked at her and said, “Sister, what am I going to do with you?” She smiled and as she opened her mouth to speak, I continued, “Go sit on the stretcher, you are going.” The Sisters in the door started to laugh as she got up and sat on the stretcher. As we were walking out one of the other Sister’s looked at me and said, “You did good, getting her to go to the hospital.”

I looked at Sister John Francis, took her hand and said, ‘I had a good Principal.”