Nice tie.

Fifth graders can get a little obsessive with ties.

I wish I could remember exactly how it came out. I was in the middle of a lesson, and I think I must've muttered something about a certain level of inattentiveness. Someone in the front row chimed in, "Mr. Shorb...we can't help it...it's your tie!"

"What?"

"Your tie! It's really nice!"

I was immediately skeptical, perhaps with my default setting still on defensive mode from my first two years of teaching. Had these little rascals been talking bad about my tie behind my back?!

But the nodding heads and sentiments of agreement when this student brought it up made me think otherwise. I reluctantly said, "Wait...raise your hand if you think this is a nice tie."

All eighteen hands immediately shot in the air with wide, excited eyes, big grins, and vigorously nodding heads.

Sure, this felt nice and affirming enough, but the rest of the day they just kept giggling at how wonderful my tie was. I would be teaching and could watch each one of their eyes zoned out, closely following my tie, looking back and forth whenever it swayed.

One girl asked, "How many polka dots does your tie have?"

"I don't know...you haven't counted yet?"

"I'm trying! You're moving too much!"

They even told the music teacher about it.

Seriously, it was bad. I'd be in the middle of talking and I would hear someone next to me, out of nowhere, sheepishly mumble, "Nice tie."

It was completely bizarre. I'm still giggling about it. The tie's a hit.