It’s the middle of winter and a primary school teacher was helping one of her pupils put on his boots at the end of the day. He asked for help and she could see why. Even with her pulling, and him pushing, the little boots didn’t want to go on.
By the time they got the second boot on, she had worked up a sweat.
He then announced, “These aren’t my boots.”
She bit her tongue, and resisted the temptation to say, “Why didn’t you say so?” like she wanted to.
Once again, she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off his little feet.
No sooner had they got the boots off when he said, “They’re my brother’s boots. But my mum made me wear ’em today.”
Now she didn’t know if she should laugh or cry, but she mustered up what grace and courage she had left to wrestle the boots BACK onto his feet.
Helping him into his coat, she asked, “Now, where are your mittens?”
He said “I stuffed ’em in the toes of my boots.”