Miss B: The Update

 I am sure you all are wondering.

I can feel the suspense in the air.

“What, Anthony, has happened with Miss B since you introduced her to the blogosphere?”

I shared about Miss B in the first week of September, a wonderful example of sacred play and imaginary escape that has developed in my house over the pandemic. A reminder to all of us to find similar play and escapes as a survival technique during the pandemic.

Our youngest daughter Sihasin was incredibly jealous at not having school like her three older siblings. She wanted a screen to stare into, a teacher talking to her just like the older ones.

My oldest daughter Nizhoni came up with a brilliant solution – she would become Miss B, hiding in some part of the house in very minimal disguise, teaching a weekly lesson to Sihasin.

Now for the update on Miss B.

The biggest thing to report is that Miss B still comes regularly. She has led dance classes, art projects, and has taught on a wide range of animals in these last months. Most important, she has pushed through, even when too tired to teach. She knows her student relies on her.

Sihasin, for her part, is very excited to play along. She will emphatically announce:

“Just so you know, Miss B isn’t my sister. Miss B doesn’t live in our house. 

She lives on the other side of town.”

It is amusing to see how important it is for her to keep the game going. We are impressed at her 3-year old psychology, realizing that the fun is over once she lets on to what is going on.

We play our part, insisting that Miss B is coming to teach on a given day, simultaneously coming up with an excuse for why Nizhoni has to disappear at the same time Miss B comes to teach. Tummy ache and homework-to-be-done are our most common covers.

Miss B has even recruited a substitute teacher Mr. J (our son Bah’hozhooni) and an assistant teacher Miss Lavender (Mila, our neighbor) who is set to teach today. You might say that the faculty is expanding, always a good sign for an educational institution.

Well, there you have it. The suspense and wonder is over.

Now, a fun question – what are you going to do with this story? Have you found similar escapes in your house? In your own mind? Does this inspire you to create one?

Play is sacred, my friends.

Play on.

The faculty, from L --> R: Miss Lavender, Miss B, and Mr. J