O My Nose, O My Nose

Anyone out there remember the Brady Bunch episode where Marsha got hit in the nose with a football? She then cries out, "O my nose! O my nose" with her hands cupped over her nose.

During 4th period today I took a shanked (volleyball lingo) right smack in the nose. I felt like my cartilage was pushed up to my brain. I was standing about 7 feet away from where the ball came from. Instantly I bent over in pain and turned away from the students. They all gasped and did not know what to do. My first thought was "is it broken?", then I thought "is it bleeding or going to bleed?" and finally thought "am I going to be OK?" Thankfully, it was not bleeding which indicated that I truly was going to be just fine. I thought it was funny that it was not bleeding because growing up my nose was a bleeding faucet.

Around the time of realizing that there was no blood, I could hear the students around me saying, "she just hit Miss _____ hard in the nose". The students were still stunned or thinking I was going to start yelling at them. Finally, a few started to ask me if I was OK. I said I think that I was OK. After I got myself back together and allowed my eyes to unfill with tears, I walked back to watch the volleyball game. I reassured the girl who had hit the ball that I was OK and not to worry about it. I went and stood next to the student referee where I was standing before. She says to me, "your nose is all red and big". Panic ran through me that maybe I had a broken nose but no bleeding. I sheepishly asked if my nose was straight and she reassured me that it was. All I could say then was, "it should be red and big. The ball hit me fast and hard".

Several periods later my sweet sister emailed me wondering about my nose. She teaches at the same school as I do. Her students told her the whole story and she was concerned. It was at this time that it came to me about Marsha Brady and her nose.

The last period of the day I needed to go to one of the 6th grade classrooms to deliver something to the teacher. When I walked in all the students started telling me hello (middle schoolers can be obnoxious at times) and I could hear a whisper about my nose. Then one bold one said out loud, "How's your nose Miss _____?" I said, "I feel like Marsha Brady. O my nose! O my nose!" Not a one of them understood what I was talking about but the teacher and the aide were completely cracking up. Laughing, I left the room.

My nose is quiet sore now and I have a headache but I shall be just fine. Hopefully, I will not wake up with a shiner tomorrow morning.