The Midnight Run Drug

I finally mustered up the will to hit the “Purchase” button for my plane ticket home. I am officially making my midnight run on Saturday at 11 am.

Today, my last day of working here ever, I felt like I was on a drug all day. My heart was beating fast. Despite the lack of sleep, my eyes were wide open and I was alert. I laughed easily with the kids. I also was thinking differently. You know, like after you see a really good movie, and for a brief time after the world around you is just different. Stuff like, when I was watching the kids do their tests, I could notice how their clothes give signs as to what kind of people they are. Definitely a drug.

A side affect of this drug was paranoia. Just before work, I had withdrawn all my money from the bank. It’s difficult to talk to my bankers, so when they said “Cancel?” I just nodded. About halfway through this process I realized this might be a mistake. Perhaps it would red flag me and my employer or somebody would be contacted. This is of course a silly thought for a normal place like Canada, but this place is far from normal. A couple of months ago, when I wired some money home, the banker picked up the phone right in front of me and called my school and director. Anyways, I got my money as they cut up my bank card. Because there are no big bills here, it looks like quite a lot! I felt like a gangsta as I headed back to my apartment with my suitcase full of money.

Anyways I was a little worried the school would find out my account had closed today, but the director didn’t even show up. My classroom had a view of my apartment building, so all day as I wondered what the director was up to I looked out the window to my apartment to make sure my computer and money were safe. After every class I eyeballed the secretary to make sure she didn’t look at me suspiciously. As the day wore on, and still no director, my worry grew a little.

I have not told anyone at the school I am leaving tomorrow. I want to keep it quiet until the last moment, because yes, I am a suspicious man. Talk in the teacher’s room was a bit awkward, with me giving hinting and dodging answers all day…

• “It’s Jen’s birthday next week,” answered by my “We’ll see if I make it to next week!”
• “Let’s split up what we’re doing for the level tests next week,” to which I replied “Let’s do that later?”
• The foreign teacher asks the Korean teacher when exactly she is going to quit, to which I suggest “I think you should quit on Monday,” knowing full well that Monday is going to be a shitstorm.