Right Hand, man
it's my favorite
Hand traced in pen, then held aloft so the shadow shows on paper for the photo.
Text written with pen on paper… in a coffee shop. Then transferred here 8/17/25 © Andy Swanson
Sapphire monster rests solid amongst the stars…soliloquy in amber. Justified only by love.
Right ONE (the loudest)
As some of you may remember, last school year I received the loudest teacher award. Last week I was confronted by a lively class of 34 8th graders and I needed to get their attention. First Day. They were not off task, just loud. I briefly thought of a yell… and turned away. Not appropriate. I was in a peer’s classroom and they were not being “bad”.
But I had no attention getters. No bells. No noise makers.
So I took a breath and channelled. Raised my right hand open faced. Silently, slowly counted down - one finger at a time.
They were quiet by 3. Silent at 2. I didn’t have to go to 0.
“Loudest teacher”? Yes, I am.
I had something to say, and they listened.
Right TWO (your fly is open)
Walking back from our staff lunch I was with our religous coordinator and noticed a car that had just turned toward us with their trunk open. “Oh, that’s a problem.”
I took a side step toward the road and raised my right hand in a purposeful fashion.
The woman saw me and slowed to nearly a stop.
I pointed to the trunk.
Her eyes went wide and she mouthed something at me.
Understanding, I took another step and with that same right hand firmly pushed the trunk down to closed.
Cheers from across the street as some of the other teachers saw the proceedings.
Our religious coordinator giggled.
Right THREE (the key is)
I was gifted some leftover limes the other day. Inspired, I thought, I should try to make key lime pie.
I found the simplist recipe I could.
Graham cracker crust, limes, condensed milk, yoghurt, limes, yeah… dead easy.
But it’s incomplete without whipped cream…
So I take the pie and the container of cream back to the lime gifter to go with dinner. Dessert rolls around and I pull out my two bowls and whisk. Large bowl first. Some ice. Some water to keep things cool. Second smaller bowl rests inside. Cream, powdered sugar (sifted), vanillla. Whisk aggressively with my right hand the way Jacque Pepin showed me on T.V. Whipped cream in a minute.
Delicious.
Rave reviews.
My forearm was sore the next day. Took me a minute to realize why. I don’t whip much.
Right FOUR (broke)
There is danger in using the thing we use most. Our favorite. If we always wear our favorite hat, shoes, pants, shirt, belt… whatever, it will fde, tear, or maybe break. That is the nature of things.
And if we don’t use it out of fear it may no longer “be”. It may atrophy, diminish on its own. Wither away like an unusued muscle.
And so despite this danger we stick to our favorites. Use them while we can.
A young fellow at school… one of those that works hard but needs EVERY tool he has… came to school with his right arm in a cast. Broken. This will be tough.
He needs that tool. We will have to be his right arm. Resolve.
I can’t imagine getting the class’ attention, waving down the lady, or whipping cream with my left hand. Maybe none of those things would have happened at all.
Maybe… maybe I wouldn’t even have writen this yesterday…
Maybe… maybe I wouldn’t even type it right now.