The problem with OJ

We have lunch in the classroom at my school. It's not a form of punishment for the children. It's punishment for the teacher. From 12:37 on, I have to smell "ravioli with fruit medley and assortment of milks" or "cheese sandwich, cole slaw, assorted juices". While I will admit that 'assortment' is an appetizing word, when you smell mass-produced children's food for 4 hours at the end of a day, it loses appeal.

Last Wednesday the seventh graders dug in to their meals, and within the first minute a wave of "ugh! gross! blech!" rose across the room. I looked up from my paperwork and saw approximately 10 disgusted faces. "What's wrong?" I asked. "The juice! It tastes like sh... ... uh... bad!". I grabbed a juice and smelled. I can't say it smelled great, but I'm not a huge orange juice fan. I took another one to my nose just as Thumbs yells "Someone musta mixed in chocolate milk. This is mad nasty!" I agreed and suggested they all grab a milk instead.

ED sauntered forward, unaware of the conversation the class had just had as he had been engrossed in his book. He's one of those kids a teacher loves. Quiet, extremely smart, extra cute since he's a foot shorter than everyone else, and very very nice. He looked me dead in the eye and says "Señora, something's wrong with the juice."

"I know ED. We were just discu...."

"No, I mean it's gone bad or something. It's like, you know when you take your first sip of beer?"

I just stared at him. He continued to look at me waiting for my response.

"Um, whatever do you mean???" (are you kidding me! you're 12 years old!!!)

AM elbows ED in the ribs and 'The Look' falls from his hairline to his toes. He is totally busted

"I repeat, whatever do you mean? And how the heck do you know?"

"Oh. Well, last summer my dad, um. ...I don't know how I know, but I think that the same process has occurred in my juice!"

(Did you just use the phrase "process has occurred"? LOL. Forgiven)