Dear Boundless Families:
Distanced, masked and tasked with protocols in our Covid fortress, your kids arrived safely today, and are about to finish the customary customs, which are kind of freaky in their thoroughness.
Mary-Michelle, our inconveniently hyphenated Principal, who charitably allows us to call her Mary, poked her head into my office an hour ago.
Like an ancient Bob Dylan, I inquire,”How is the wind blowing?”
I opt for open-ended questions to probe into insanely nuanced situations. Sixteen kids emerging from six months of Covid isolation to arrive on Day one of a boarding school is exactly that kind of nuanced situation.
The change is so abrupt for staff and students alike, that it feels like a perplexing dream where it’s sunny at three in the morning. It’s been a long time since we’ve all been in the school game. But it also feels so good. Like, soooooo good.
Mary responds, “We found no drugs. Borrrinngggg.”
Quippy Mary usually responds in one-lined metaphors. She is a modern day Steven Wright of the twenty twenties. To translate, she’s informed me that there have been no strange surprises today and that the kids are muted, open and a little wide-eyed at the novelty of it all.
I poke my head into their world to see for myself.
Ari immediately accosts me about crokinole, and is bucking to dethrone me as the community champion.
“Dream on Ari”. I notice his hickies. “Someone back home has branded you”. Ari smiles proudly, but won’t yet tell me his gossip. That will be for another time.
I encounter a few newbies chilling out on the porch post customs. I recognize a young lad and I can’t conjure his name. I feebly fail at guessing three times.
“So, are you going to help out an old man?”
He thinks carefully and boldly declares.
“Actually, no”.
I am taken aback, thinking this kid is pretty audacious. But like an emotional puppet master he quickly shows charity.
I’ll give you a hint.
“You should really KNOW AH my name”
I thought dry dad jokes were exclusively in my wheelhouse.
All of this is to say that these examples of idle banter are going on in the hundreds across the property. Meaning it’s been a pretty decent day one.
As I have moved up here with my wife Lisa – who happens to be our Clinical Director – how convenient, I will take the liberty of writing you some group updates from time to time.
If there are any pressing issues with your kids we’ll be in touch. That’s a promise. Otherwise, sit back the next few weeks, let go, and hear of the amazing accomplishments of your kids in the days ahead.
My very best wishes. Thanks for sending your kids to us.
Steven
