SPEAKING OF THE SWINE FLU...

Yesterday I was back in our little grade school again to make another ArtPals presentation.

The print I introduced to them was Prince Balthazar Carlos on a Pony by Diego Velasquez - painted in 1634-1635.

Riveting, huh?

Since the painting was of a little prince on a horse, I decided to take some fabric that would show the children the kinds of things a prince might wear in that time. I took some satin and velvet, some golden ribbon. In the first classroom, I held up the fabric and explained that this was the kind of fabric a little prince's clothes might have been made of.

Then I handed the soft and shiny fabric to a little boy and told the kids to pass it up and down the rows so everybody could handle it. Because little ones like to touch things.

Let me just say. My mind is no longer in tune with that of a seven year old. I don't know if my mind could ever have been prepared for what I saw these children do to that fabric.

Each child took the fabric and ran his or her little hand over it while making cute little ooh, ahh noises.

And then each child put the fabric up to his or her cute little face and proceeded to wipe it across said face like a towel.

One little boy decided to run the fabric across his head after he'd wiped his face on it.

I...

I just...

It's just that...

Um...er....

I was paralyzed.

I was struck dumb.

As the fabric made it's way up and down the rows, having suddenly been turned into a communal bath towel, all I could think of was the swine flu. If any of those kids was feeling the least bit fluish I was going to start craving corn cobs and watermelon rinds by midnight.

I really don't want to get sick.

Boys and Girls, do NOT put the fabric on your face or heads. Please, just touch the fabric with your hands. No, not on your face. Keep it in your hands. NOT THE FACE!!!!

But the pull was too great. Once the first child had put the fabric on his face, no amount of pleading or threatening, was going to keep the other children from putting it on their faces.

Guess what.

The other classes didn't get to touch the fabric.