Warning: this post is a bit more intense than usual, full of revelations and whatnot. Continue reading at your own risk.
The long-time drama teacher at my high school died yesterday. It was sudden; he was teaching class on Monday, and by Tuesday he was gone. Heart attack. And that was it. Word spread like wildfire -- I got phone calls, facebook messages. His online profile was overwhelmed with memories from his students, both past and present -- stories of the impact he had on the lives of each and every one of them. The facebook group created in his memory went from sixteen members to over a thousand in the span of twelve hours. And I didn't feel anything. After all, I had never taken drama. All of my friends had been thespians, so of course I spent the majority of my time in the drama room with them, but I had never actually known the man. Spoken a few words to him, maybe, but I had never really known him.
It hit me like a freight train this morning: even though I had never taken his class, never had a conversation with this guy, he had more of an impact on my life than possibly any other person I had ever known. He never judged me. He never asked what I was doing in his office or why I was hanging out in the theater after hours; he just accepted that I was there and, since I was going to be there anyway, put me to work. By giving all of us, the so-called outcasts of the caste-like system present in most high schools, a place where we could be ourselves and stay out of trouble, he opened doors that never would have been opened otherwise. I met best friends and boyfriends in that office. That 16'x10' room, plastered from floor to ceiling with the marks of a beloved teacher -- senior portraits, thank-you notes, and of course the belongings of students who enjoyed a brunch or lunch spent in Tim's office more than almost anything -- turned my slight curiosity about theater into a passion and a love. I have so many good memories of my senior year because this man let an inexperienced newbie (me) who had never taken a stagecraft class in her life, who didn't know a thing about building a set or running the fly, work on one of the biggest productions our district had ever put on. I had finally found a place where I felt accepted for the person I was, not the person I thought people wanted me to be, and Tim made it all possible.
Drama simply won't be the same without him, and I consider myself very lucky to have had the chance to know this amazing person even just a little. I hope he knew what an impact he had and how loved he truly was.
