Average day?

What I learned at school today:

• that one of my pupils was rushed into Emergency last night with we-don't-know-what. She was the one I sent home last Thursday because her symptoms were slightly (swine-)flu-ish and I didn't want to be the idiot responsible for an outbreak of that at our school. However, instead of seeing her doctor that day she went to the outdoor swimming pool. The next day she had an ear infection. She told me all this herself yesterday, at school, in her bubbly, loud, excited usual way. She seemed totally fine. I just can't figure out what happened between then and last night.
• that another girl from that class was taken home by her mother because she had cut herself all across her left arm, over and over. Again, this is a friendly, polite girl. Quiet. Well, alright, point taken.
• that a third pupil from the same class hadn't come home last night and that his parents and child psychologist were trying to track him down, so far without success.

...And those were the ones that didn't even show up!

I sometimes have to do a quick reality check whether it's a school or a (raaather special) hospital I work in... On a much happier note, I also learned something else. I happened to meet our caretaker in the office this morning and enquired after his son (one of my new pupils in Third Year) whom I had first-aided the day before. The boy was lying on the ground after breaktime, bent double and crying because he had been stung by a wasp earlier and someone had kicked him hard right where the sting was. He couldn't get up or walk properly so we picked him up and helped him inside where he got a thermal pack and a few soothing words from me (the all-purpose-medication for anything that doesn't bleed too much) before I rushed off to round up my class who meanwhile had happily run wild.

Anyway, I asked his dad how the boy was doing and the answer was "Well, not too great. But you know what, he really enjoys his English classes now. He used to hate the subject, but now he's really pleased to have you as a teacher." Of course, I had to play it down immediately and replied something stupid like "Well, I guess he's quite comfortable with having a teacher who is even more chaotic than himself..." - But, well, you know, it did feel really good to hear something like that.