Miss. Miller

As I walked through the back hallway into my office building today, a noise sparked a memory of my childhood.

It echoed and became louder as I continued down the hallway. Click, clack, click clack... the sound on my black stilettos heels on the bare concrete floor. Why does this noise spark a memory for me? Well, let me tell you about Miss. Miller.

Miss. Miller was my first grade teacher at Apple Creek Elementary in Moore, Oklahoma. I don't remember kindergarten real well and even second grade is a little fuzzy. But I can remember a lot from first grade. In fact, I bet I can walk into that grade school today and still find my first grade classroom. Miss Miller was everything a first grade teacher should be... kind, compassionate, funny, and eager to teach these little ones something great. And, above all, she was beautiful. At least to me and my little first grader friends she was. We idolized her. I remember her as being very tall, even for a grown up. Her hair was a reddish brown, trimmed to her shoulders and she totally rocked one of those 80s perms with the bangs. Her makeup was always perfect and she dressed like a dream. I always remember her in a dress or a skirt and she ALWAYS had on heels. Looking back, I have no idea how she could stand and teach in those all day long, but she did it! She was a tough cookie! :)

Whenever she would leave our classroom for a little bit, she would always say "I'll be right back, be good and keep working on your assignment." Well, we are first graders, so we really didn't listen. As soon as she was outta the room, we would immediately start talking, joking around and being kids. Then, all of a sudden, someone would say "SSSShhhhh... here she comes." The room would get absolutely quiet and all we could hear from the hallway was "click, clack, click, clack." Her shoes gave her away every time and upon her arrival her sweet first graders were always on their best behavior. :)

Ever since then I have remembered that sound. For me, it symbolized being a woman, growing up, being strong and confident. Many of my teachers after her wore heels and were beautiful, but I always remember Miss Miller. I looked to her and thought "someday I will be a grown up and I will wear heels and look beautiful too."

As I left the click, clack of the hallway and entered the carpeted area to take the elevator to the third floor to my office I smiled and thought of her. I wonder if she would be proud of me today? I wonder if she knows the impact she had on her students, even one as simple as wearing heels? As I stepped off the elevator, I tripped. Well, maybe I will never be as graceful as she was, but gosh do I love a good, strong, powerful pair of heels! :)