Merrily Chapter 1 We always have to sing that song. Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily. #life is but a dream. The kids love it but it's everything but appealing to me. My daughter, Mary, says the word "merrily" sounds like her name, so thats why she likes it. At one point, this song became obnoxious to me so I asked all the students why they liked the song. Most of them said that they just thought it was a fun song to sing (?). I couldn't believe it but unless I wanted to be fired I had to keep singing these kids the song. My name is Winter and the kids call me Ms. Winter. I'm a first grade teacher who teaches...seventeen kids. My mom suggested teaching eighth grade kids but that would've been a disaster. How? Because I'm only 23 and eighth graders are just immature. They think they know everything. Because they know they don't - therefore, they think they do. I know, confusing. Mom only laughed at me and said she second-hand suggested first graders. I'd obviously choose them over eighth graders any day. Here we are. Sitting in a circle singing Row Your Boat. As we're midway into the song, Mary stops singing. I look at her. "Mary, dear, why aren't you singing?" I ask her. She doesn't answer, just bolts up and runs to the trash can. Kids "eew" as she vomits into the trash can. I gasp and get up, running over to her. I look at her and see she has vomit around her mouth. I frown. Its yellow - like french fries. I have given her no such thing at all this week and she was feeling fine last week. I look at her. "Are you okay?" I ask. She shakes her head and once again vomits into the trash can. She begins crying and complains her tummy and throat hurt. I grab a paper towel and clean her up and clean the vomit off her face. She's [italic] bawling [unitalic] now and is clutching the trash can as if it were saving her #life. I grab my things on my desk and quickly pick Mary up. I turn around at the kids. "I'll get a substitute teacher okay?" I tell them. "When she comes, say that Ms. Winter's daughter was ill and vomiting. Thank you - have a good day, kids!" I quickly rush out the door, not bothering to close it.