How to Cope While Working in Public Schools: Leave for Lunch

I do not think I was more than two months in before the racially ambiguous AP stated, in front of my colleague, that she needed to talk to me privately [along with the Black AP]. The conversation went something like this:

Racially Ambiguous AP: Have you been going to your car?

Me: Going to my car when?

Racially Ambiguous AP: When is the last time you went to your car?

Me: I do not remember. I probably went to my car today, to get something I needed.

Racially Ambiguous AP: No, have you been sitting in your car?

Me: I sat in my car once to take a phone call.

Racially Ambiguous AP: We heard you have been sitting in your car for lunch.

Me: Why would I do that when I don't have time to take lunch?

Racially Ambiguous AP: That's just what we heard.

Me: I would love to sit in my car to take lunch as that would be the only place where I could find some peace around here. But I don't have time.

Racially Ambiguous AP: Oh.

I left that meeting completely confused. Did she just make that shit up? Who would be watching me go to the parking lot? Who cares if I did eat my lunch in my car?

From that day forward, I decided I would leave campus for lunch. I did not know where I was going or where I could go in only 30 minutes, but I knew I was no longer SAFE on campus. I knew that I needed time to clear my mind and get away from bitches and drama and the overall work culture.

One day, a teacher stopped me and said they knew I walked faithfully, daily for lunch. I was proud, but then suspicion took over. I asked them how they knew; and they responded that they could see me from their car...where they ate lunch. This was a great segue to me telling them about the convo with Racially Ambiguous AP. They looked shocked, then said,

A lot of us teachers eat lunch in our cars.

Yeah, I know. I know that teachers cry in their cars, too, for many reasons but usually because the job sucks.

They hypothesized that maybe someone told on me because they thought I was smoking.

Me? Smoke? I would never. I love my lungs.... But, ironically, for many years, I have thought about smoking CRACK...because to me, it seems like that is the only way you can successfully cope with working in the public school system. In fact, I know a principal who would agree with me...because he did so...on campus...in Hillsborough County Public Schools.

Do you have some crack?