I had not thought of Mr. Perry, my elementary school principal, in years. After all, it's been quite some time since I walked the halls of the JT Hood School.
But when a Facebook friend posted the news of Mr. Perry's death, it brought back memories.
He was a tall man. An impossibly tall man, it seemed. Well, I *was* really short at the time!
He was so nice to all of us. He would stand in the hallway and greet us as we walked into school. He knew all of us by name. He even knew me by bus stop - thanks, Dad, for getting that bus stop back, by the way.
Elementary school was simpler back then. It was the early 1980s and all I knew was I had to walk to the corner to my bus stop. Who knows if Mr. Perry had to deal with emergency contingency plans, individualized education plans or any of the complicated things principals deal with now. I'm sure he had his own stresses.
But he met them all - and all of us kids - with grace and a smile.
Thank you, Mr. Perry. The Hood School kids of the 80s won't forget you. May you rest in peace.
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