M.I.A.

At the beginning of November, I registered a new student for classes. He seemed like a good kid, but then in the middle of the month, he disappeared. After three weeks of not seeing him, teachers started to report his absences to me. I called home. I called all the work numbers and all the cell phone numbers that we have on file for this child. I left messages on every phone and waited. And waited and waited...the return phone call never came. Yesterday, after he had been gone a full month, I filed a report with the school social worker after my supervisor suggested foul play. This morning, he showed up in my office, a mysterious apparition back from a watery grave. Only he was never dead. I am sure my mouth was slightly agape as he stood framed by the doorjamb. I asked him where he has been the past month. He responded without smiling, "In my country." I told him that he is supposed to get those absences approved in advance by the principal. "You can't just leave for a month and not tell anyone where you're going!" He stared blankly ahead, not comprehending at all that in this day and age, a school will notice when someone hasn't shown up for a month and his parents are suddenly unavailable. In retrospect, I suppose his parents didn't return my calls because they were with him in his "country," too. And I guess that country is not the U.S., since if he had been here, he wouldn't have missed a month of school work and he may even be able to pass his classes for the semester. Too late for that. But at least he's alive.