My Last Day

I can't get over how things work out. I just finished writing a short paper on genetic disorders among Ashkenazi Jews for a class, and was concentrating on the next short paper when I took a break and went to teach my high school class some physiology.

Okay, more like I went to a room where the high school girls were sitting, talking non-stop, and I tried to get their attention. Thank the Holy One is was my last day - literally. Since I wasn't offering a final, teaching ended on Tuesday for me.

On Tuesdays, I pitch in and act as the teacher of record for a 1/2 hour detention. As I sat there eating my lunch and planning out my next paper, a student of mine came up to me all nervous. She had to give blood in a little over an hour and didn't know what to expect.

Why are you giving blood, I asked. For Dor Yeshorim. Oh my gosh. I couldn't believe it. For those of you who don't know, Dor Yeshorim is an organization that tests orthodox Jews for genetic diseases. Instead of giving the actual results, the test taker is given a number instead. When it's time to date, both parties contact Dor Yeshorim with their numbers to see if they are genetically compatible, or incompatible. Kinda like the cup is half full or half empty.

But how weird is that? I had just finished a paper on that very subject, and here it was, happening right in front of me. I was so excited that when I got into class, I told all the girls, since 11th and 12th graders had the option of taking the tests, all about what they were about to do.

Not that they listened. Oy vey. I just thank G-d it's over for me.