Glazed Over at School (but in a Good Way)

(The doughnuts were glazed over, not my eyes.)

This morning, parents of students whose last names begin with the letters A through M were invited to Jefferson Elementary School between 7:15 and 8:20 A.M. for "Pastries for Parents." It's an annual thing, sponsored by who knows whom--the school? the parent volunteer organization? the NAACP?

In any case, it was a very nice event. The tables in the gymnasium (each one a set of two tables hinged in the middle for ease of folding-and-storing, with their benches welded to them--standard school issue), usually set out at right angles for morning breakfast, were today laid out diagonally for an extra-fancy effect. The cloth flowers in Easter hues stuck in silver-painted plastic vases (I'm pronouncing that "VAH-zez," by the way) added that special somethin'-somethin' that just seemed to say, "This is one hoity-toity shindig, Maynard."

We arrived around 7:20 A.M. (Abigail: "Are we late?") and helped ourselves to the continental breakfast buffet: two metal school lunch multi-shelved, rollable trays, one set with open boxes of doughnuts, the other laid out with little Dixie cups of juice (our choice of apple, orange, grape, or "mixed fruit"). The principal was stationed at the coffee percolator, offering coffee-colored hot water in foam cups (not Styrofoam cups; you had better read this). We helped ourselves to the goods and followed the lead of those parents and kids who had already arrived: we found an empty table and sat as far away from other human life as possible, talking to no one outside our immediate family as we ate quickly and checked the clock frequently.

I jest! I jest! Actually, although the beverages were weak, the dougnuts were fantastic: The Donut Hole doughnuts. I had the best blueberry muffin I can recall ever eating, and the girls were not disappointed with their glazed, chocolate-dipped, and maple-drizzled choices, either. Susan and I agreed that, much as we like the glazed blueberry cake doughnuts from Krispy Kreme, we'd choose anything from The Donut Hole any day. Furthermore, we like the girls' principal, Mrs. Meduna. She's a very friendly principal who recognizes us, compliments us on our kids, and welcomes us sincerely whenever we come to the school for an event. And she offered frequently to "top off" our coffee.