9 May 1998
So the Chickens didn't quite know what to make of "Roger & Me". It's a documentary, and I think they
were expecting some type of formula movie--a dramatic climax leading into an easily resolved problem. But there
really isn't a solution or an ending to the film. Some of them got it. Some of them said things like, "There
are no, like, actors in this."
Overall, it was well-received and I didn't mind at all watching it three times a day, once in each English class I teach.
About a week after we watched it, Andy discovered that Michael Moore was going to be appearing at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago to premiere his new movie, "The Big One". You could call the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and order tickets for a mere $20 apiece.
I smelled a field trip, and quickly filled out the appropriate paperwork at school, requesting a Big Yellow Limo to take us to it. I had no idea whether this kind of field trip would be approved...and I had to sneak it in as my student newspaper field trip...but I knew I had to try. I didn't make a big deal about it in class because I didn't want them to be disappointed if my request got denied.
Unfortunately, the OK for the field trip came on a Friday, their first day of spring break...and only about a week and a half before the date of the premiere. I had conferences that morning, but spend any extra time I had running to the phone to call ALL OF MY STUDENTS to invite them. They had to mail me the money that week so I could order the tickets post-haste. This may not seem like a problem to the gentle reader, but for high school chickens...well...I was concerned.
"Hello?"
"Hi, ____ (fill in the name of assorted chicken)?"
"Yeahh...." (suspicious)
"This is Miss Coughlin! HI!"
"Uhhh.....oh..."
I can't even tell you how many of them were sleeping. At, like, 11:30 a.m. Ah, to be a teenager.
But 17 chickens in all sent me their money, and I got set to order up the tickets. The friendly folks at the Coalition, who were a bit alarmed at my large ticket order, told me that I had called just in time, as seats for this event were dwindling. I gave her my credit card number, placed my order and...
My credit card was denied.
Crap.