Oh, the rewards of being a teacher...

A fourth grader just saw me walking out of the teacher's lounge while eating a donut.

"Mr Lesire!  I want a donut!  Can I have one?  CanIcanIcanIcanI?"

"Would you like to earn a donut?" I asked, in my most excited teacherly voice.

"Yes!" she replied.

"Alright, there are just a few easy steps.  Would you like to know what they are?"

"YES!"

"Okay!  Step one: finish high school!  Next, go to college for four years, and earn a teaching degree!  Then, land a teaching job, and you too can have a donut EVERY Friday!"

"Mr. Lesire, that seems like a lot of work, just for a donut."

"Hmm, you're right...  I may just have to spend some time rethinking my chosen profession."

The true reward, of course, was the chance to carry on a spirited, if somewhat sardonic, conversation with this student.  In truth, these kinds of exchanges are the ones I remember most as a student.  Quite frankly, they are a large part of why I chose to become a teacher.