Am I an Elf?

Yesterday during first period, my student Horseman* asked me what I got for Christmas this year. I told him that I got a new Trampled By Turtles hoodie and some tank tops and a new pair of sneakers and chocolate. Horseman asked, "Did you get any money?" and after thinking about this for a moment, I answered, "No. I didn't, actually."

"Huh. That's a bummer," Horseman said.

"It is, but sometimes Santa (aka, my dad), forgets to give me money and then surprises me with a check in January or February. I think that's actually what happened last year." And I shrugged, thus concluding the conversation... or so I thought.

At the front of the room, Ash-Master was listening to our dialogue and enthusiastically said to the entire class, "Guys... did you hear that? Ms. Meeson's dad is Santa Claus. Do you know what that means?"

None of us did.

"That means," Ash-Master continued, "that we go to school with an elf!"

*Horseman is being designated at "Horseman" in this blog because when we read Ordinary Grace and Gus said, "I need to see a man about a horse," Horseman asked what that meant. So now every morning at the start of class, instead of asking to use the restroom, Horseman says, "Is it okay if I see a man about a horse?"