My initial response when I saw the bag of sunflower seeds out and under consumption was to snatch the whole bag, seal it closed, toss it in the trash can, and tell KM, whose hand had been in the bag, not to eat the seeds.
She did anyway, made a number of comments like, “You didn’t just throw those in the trash can,” scowled at me for the rest of the period, and asked several times to go see the guidance counselor, presumably to be switched out of my class. (I didn’t send her.)
“Are they your seeds?” I asked her.
“No.”
“Who’s are they?”
“I’m not telling.”
“It doesn’t matter,” I smiled. “I was just wondering.”
In fact, I already knew whose seeds they were. I talked to that student a bit later:
“Sorry I threw your seeds in the trash can. I should have just put them on my desk. Did KM give them back to you? She took them out of the trash can.”
“That’s okay. I don’t want them now. I told her she can keep them. I didn’t mean to cause trouble. I won’t do it again.”
