66- No Heat

South Carolina has a reputation for having warm and sunny weather. People come from all over the country to vacation here. Our falls and winters are much milder than those of our northern neighbors. Despite the state’s beachy reputation, the temperatures still get cold. By Halloween the weather has changed from warm to cool. We’re entering the second week of November and the temperatures are dropping.
Demarcus came into school this morning with bloodshot eyes and a cranky attitude. He threw his book bag into his cubby and then flung himself into his desk seat. Even though the school’s electricity had warmed up the room, the kid refused to take off his heavy jacket. He sat still, with a pouty face and tired eyes, until I instructed the children to begin their morning work. I didn’t say anything as Demarcus yanked his notebook carelessly out of his desk. Children are delicate creatures; their moods are unpredictable and are often better left ignored.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Demarcus tried to write. He appeared agitated and kept writing and then erasing as if he were never satisfied with what he had written. At one point, the lead on Demarcus’ pencil broke. Usually, when this happens, my students will raise their hand for permission to go to the pencil sharpener. Today, when Demarcus’ lead broke, he took one look at the broken point, threw the pencil on the ground, and then started to cry.
I called the boy to my desk. Obediently, Demarcus trudged slowly up to my chair. I gave him a quick hug and asked, “Is everything all right this morning?”
Crocodile tears began to flow down Demarcus’ cheeks. “No, ma’am.”
“Do you want to tell me what’s the matter?”
“I didn’t get no sleep last night.” The boy cried.
I hugged the kid again, and when I did, he started bawling. His little arms held tightly onto my waist and his sobs grew heavy. Demarcus’ tears ran so fast, I could barely understand what he was saying.
Eventually, I got the boy to calm down. Between gulps of air, he told me why he was so upset.
We ain’t got no heat in my house. It was so cold. I was so cold, I was crying. Ma’amma told me to go to sleep. I did lie down, but… but I was so cold, I couldn’t get sleepy. I tried.
I knew from stories he’d told me before that Demarcus didn’t have a bed. He slept on the floor with his mother. His grandmother slept on their only couch.
The floor was like ice, so I put on more clothes. And my jacket. Demarcus patted the jacket he was wearing and I noticed that beneath he had at least three layers of shirts.
The temperature had gotten down to 40 degrees last night.
We ain’t got many blankets. Grandma, she sick. She needed the blanket. Ma’amma tried to get me warm by puttin’ some couch pillows on me. The pillows kept fallin’ off. They ain’t do nothin’ bout keepin’ me warm. My ma’amma, she hugged me tight and I falled asleep for a time, but I kept wakin’ up again.
Demarcus wiped the last of his tears from his eyes. He stared at me, wearily, and sighed. I hugged him once more and the boy started crying all over again.
I was so cold. Cold. Sleepy. And I ain’t get no breakfast this mornin’!
When his sobs had subsided, I sent Demarcus with a banana and a juice box to the Nurse’s Office. I wrote a little note explaining the situation and asked her to let the child take a short nap.
Demarcus returned to my classroom 5 minutes later, with the following note:

Sorry, no naps allowed at school.
District’s rules.
-Nurse

Next, I called the Resource Teacher and told her that Demarcus was working on an important project in my classroom. I gave Demarcus the pillow from my rocking chair, and then sent him to the Reading Rug. I told him to find a comfy spot to rest his eyes. The child fell asleep 10 minutes later, and I left him there until lunch time.