Let a little out....

True....Seriously.

I walked to school that spring day in my pink jacket. There was a light chill in the air and I was glad to be wearing this large hand-me-down.

I walked up the wobbly, wooden stairs to the portable and into the classroom. Everything was normal. Both teachers were there. Kids were arriving. And I took my place in the 4th row next to Zebediah(not his real name).

Zebediah and I would joke around in class a lot. He was also quite popular with the ladies. I was a tomboy at the time, so he was no use to me, except to borrow glue or pencils from occasionally.
The day proceeded as normal. Subjects were taught. Lunch was eaten. And recess was taken. But I made a huge error....the crime of all crimes.....and yes....I would pay.

It seems there was a law passed at this school that your bladder must be completely emptied during recess time. There was no gray area or excuses. Go then and that's it. Now when the said law was passed, they might have taken into consideration that when you have over 50 girls trying to use 3 restrooms.....well....it's Darwin at its best. And I was often at the bottom of the food chain. I usually held it all day so as not to enter the lion's den anymore than I had too.

But on this day, I really had to go. REALLY had to go....to go....to go. And recess had passed. Dagnabit.

I was sitting at my desk. My mind began to race as the two teachers began to teach something. I remember it had a juice can that they poured into a bucket. And if you can imagine the sound, you can imagine my increasing pain. I started to weigh my options in my head as it was getting excruciating.

" I could go up there, swallow my anxiety, take the yelling and go to the restroom"
No way. There's 40 kids in here.
" I could see if I could hold it for another hour."
Absolutely not. Won't happen. Not an option. Next!
" There's one more thing....but I don't know.."
What? What? Do tell!
"I could let a little out.....and then it won't be so bad"
Hmmmmmmmmm. Let me think. Let a little out. Let...a..little....out. Yeah....yeah!....that could work. My pants would be a little wet. I could save the rest until I got home. No one would be the wiser. You are brilliant, brilliant I say......!!

I stared straight ahead. Eyes focused on the teacher. I did a countdown and then it was literally full steam ahead. Nothing happened at first. I think I had to go so bad it took a moment for my bladder to say "Huh? What? Now? Here? Seriously?Okay...okay....give me a sec...give me a sec...."

And thats when things got ugly.

I assumed I could shut the valve off "so to speak" at any point. But I soon found out what a horrible decision I had made.

"Stop....stop....stop" my inner voice said to my inner bladder. I continued to stare straight ahead.

"Please stop......oh no!" It was all over my chair.

"Hey....what's that dripping from your seat?" my friend Zebediah yelled, suddenly bringing a new hell to the situation.

Still staring straight ahead and using the same quick thinking I would eventually use in my improv, I said the only thing that came to my mind:

" I had a bag of water in my back pocket and it must have broke!".

Yeah, I know. Really bad. But I was 10 and looking at total social annihilation.

"Ew....did you wet your pants?" Zebediah said again. Idiot.

"No way....I told you it was a waaaaaater bag. I should have taken it out at recess" I was digging in deep as the Amazon River continued to cascade over the wooden chair and into a growing stain below in the carpet. And for the love of Christmas, it wouldn't stop! It was unbelievable. I was like a frat boy at an all-night kegger.

I sat there in my soggy clothes and prayed for the end of the day to come quick. But it was not to be and as the minutes swam by (at least in my area), the odor demons began to punish me as well.

"It stinks over here."
"Ew."
"Phew."

Some kids were putting there shirts on their noses ala Jesse James. Enough already. It was only water. It must be the rug that stinks. I was buying into my story with every ounce of urine I had.

Eventually the teachers came over and excused me from class to the restroom . And I'm sure they gave the other students the old "let's be nice, everyone has accidents, everyone sometimes wants to let a little out" speech. Okay.Maybe not so much that last part.

When I came back, school had ended. I wrapped my pink jacket around my waist, gathered my books, and began to walk out.

The teacher stopped me. I figured I was due a "yelling at" as the classroom was beginning to smell like the elephant house at the zoo.

But she didn't.

She just said, " Let me know anytime you need to use the restroom."

I held in the tears. I wasn't even going to let a little out.