Why these two may be two of my favorite students

“Students at attention.

Students at ease.

Students at attention.”

Florent pauses. He is standing in front of all his classmates at the weekly Monday morning flag ceremony, and after having vied to be the one who calls out the command for the two-person color guard in khaki school uniforms, he has forgotten what to say next.

One hundred and eighty one students, plus four teachers are waiting.

Florent looks quickly to the left and to the right, then at his feet as he waits for the words to come to him. He knows the longer he stands there the less likely this lapse in memory will go unnoticed, or unridiculed. The next glace is across the schoolyard.

In the front row of the class of 5eme, Andre is trying to catch his eye. He is slowly mouthing the words for the next command.

Florent gets the message.

“Attention for the raising of the colors,” he says, and the flag ceremony continues.