A Detention Conversation

Warning--This conversation would be rated PG-13.  It would be, if folks rated this kind of thing.

E. is a very bright, very oppositional 7th grader.  He is truly quite funny and entertaining, but he gets the class so riled up, he has to be tempered a bit.  One of his skills is to weasel out of situations with word play.   In this conversation, E. is in detention for the repeated use of the phrase "cup check" in the classroom while I was out.   I take the word he has not actually used and apply it a little indelicately.  Typically, arguing with a 7th grader, especially an oppositional one, is not worth a single second of time.  In this case, it still may not have been.  Nevertheless, it has provided me with giggles ever since.

E: Why am I in here?

(defiance wrapped with an air of innocence)

Ms. M: From what I understand, you were having an inappropriate conversation.

E: No I wasn't.  You don't know. I didn't say anything inappropriate.

(challenging look--daring me to say it)

Ms. M: You're right.  I wasn't here for the full conversation, but from what I understand, you were talking about BALLS. Are you going to try to convince me that talking about BALLS is appropriate?  I don't want to listen to conversations about BALLS.

E:  I didn't say... balls.

Ms. M: No, I'm sure you didn't say the word BALLS, but you did talk about BALLS and that is why you are in here.

E: I didn't talk about balls.

Ms. M:  I believe that you did.

E: I said "cup check." Is that about... balls?

(Again--defiant stare.  He's pretty sure I don't know what a cup check is.)

Ms. M: Yes.  "Cup check" is about BALLS.  If you would like to discuss how "cup check" is about BALLS, we can do that.

E: Nevermind....

Final Score:
Ms. M: 1     Balls: 10