Happy Birthday, and Thanks for Almost Getting Me Suspended, Dr. Seuss

Today, as pointed out by Kayci, is also Dr. Seuss's birthday. He was born this day in 1904.

Dr. Seuss has always been a favorite of mine, but one of his books is also involved in one of my favorite high school stories.

When I was in high school, I used to do the morning announcements with another fun, high-energy and slightly sarcastic guy named Kevin. Every day, we would try to put an entertaining spin on the daily announcements Saturday Night Live-style in the form of general silliness, mock commentary and skits. One day toward the end of our senior year, we decided to do our own mock announcement on a day when not much was going on and announced that there was a single work of literature that accurately summed up our high school career and would give guidance to the graduates of the future. And then we proceeded to read Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss in its entirety.

We found it hilarious, but one teacher in particular, Mrs. Carpenter (an English teacher) didn't find the matter quite so funny. In fact, she went to the assistant principal and claimed that she actually found it offensive and demanded that we be suspended... three short weeks before the end of school.

So Kevin and I were called in and reprimanded for our "stunt" by the principal himself, Mr. Brautigam. Mr. Braugtigam was a nice guy and I had worked with him several times through the newspaper and cheerleading, so he went easy on me. He said that we were indeed being suspended for a week ... from the announcements, but that what stupid old Mrs. Carpenter was asking for was for us not to walk at graduation. Obviously, that was excessive, but had another guy been in charge - one who didn't have as good a sense of humor or the courage to take a step back and look at the situation for what it was - it might have happened.

So that's what Dr. Seuss's birthday immediately brings to mind - my first run-in (of many) with people who take themselves and life way too seriously and who can't take a joke. And that's also why Dr. Seuss also has a special place in my heart. He taught me something that was truly eye-opening:

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."