it's okay speedy, i still remember you.

an excerpt taken from an earlier in-class conversation between me and valerie, one of my core students...

valerie: estelle, what's your last name?
me: gonzales.
valerie: (confused look) what?
me: gonzales... you know, like speedy.
valerie: (no comment)
me: as in, speedy gonzales?
valerie: (confused look with the addition of a furrowed brow) who's that?
me: what? speedy gonzales! the cartoon mexican mouse with the sombrero?! (complete with on-the-spot bodily gestures for "mexican mouse" and "sombrero")
valerie: ... i don't know who that is. (shakes her head)
me: *sigh* nevermind.
valerie: why?
me: i'm afraid speedy's way before your time.
valerie: what? you're not that old though. you're in your twenties.
me: *double sigh* yes. i know.

for the first time in my entire 24 years on this earth, i actually felt old. here i was, thinking that it was such a ridiculously huge deal for this young girl not to know who speedy gonzales was, even more so not have the slightest clue of what a looney tune was. and at the same time, valerie was probably thinking that her teacher was slightly insane in the membrane (which probably wasn't too far from the truth, especially with the improvised one-man freak show i displayed today).

ack!