This is Rubber Ducky (formerly known as Cottontail), a well-balanced and self-managing gluten-free gamer-freak who’s about to lose his front teeth (mozeltov!) He’s an indoor/outdoor guy, a tough/tender guy, a friend/independent guy, a fashion/unselfconscious guy, and a really tall guy. He’s also a young guy, but he knows his way around: he learned to crawl in our library.
Rubber Ducky loves video games, and he loves “real life” games, RPGs he makes up with his buddies wherein they bring video games, or graphic novels, to life. He competes flat out in the big group games like Gaga ball, but he’s also a gentle animal lover, and tender of numerous bunnies. Despite being one of our youngest students, he’s one of our most independent. To be completely honest, I rarely see him, and I don’t think other staff see him much either. He doesn’t need us; he knows the school systems (pretty much owns JC), and he’s a natural autodidact – he’s picked up arithmetic and reading already (he clarified that his mom taught him, “if” and “it” and then he got the rest of the dictionary on his own). Self-direction is as easy and natural as Super Mario Odyssey for this Rubber Ducky.
Not long ago Rubber Ducky proposed marriage to Boss Lady at the school, and she did herself a big favor by saying YES to the Duck. He went ring shopping, and to his mother’s horror insisted on spending a whopping $19 of his own dime on an antique ring for his fiancé. He told her, a note of disgust in his voice, “if I’m going to ask someone to marry me it’s going to be a nice ring, mom.” Kudos, Rubber Ducky, you clearly have more valuable things than money in your bank account.
Rubber Ducky, you balance yin and yang better than Lao Tzu. You are young but you are ballast for our school; I don’t see you much but I know you’re there. You are awesome, the Super Mario of the Hudson Valley, a fierce, friendly, miniature hero on an odyssey. We’re so, so happy you’re doing it here.