May 29, 2025

Okay, so the plan was simple. Finish mopping the hallway outside the third-grade wing, then sneak in ten minutes to update my blog. “Juan’s Garden Musings” isn’t exactly setting the internet on fire, but it’s something. I’ve been trying to get these petunias to thrive and it’s a battle. Plus, there's this weird aphid situation, but I'm saving the full report – and the photos, obviously – for the next post. Gotta build suspense, right? Even if the only person reading it is probably Mrs. Henderson, the librarian, and she's just checking for typos.

I was halfway through the hallway when I spotted it. Just… sitting there. A single, bright pink cowboy boot. Not a pair, a boot. Right in front of Mr. Abernathy’s classroom. Mr. Abernathy teaches fifth grade, and is known for being…particular.

My first thought? Lost and Found. Easy. Except… it wasn’t a kid’s boot. It was, like, a legitimate adult-sized cowboy boot. And sparkly. Really sparkly. I pictured Mr. Abernathy, a man who usually dresses in khakis and sensible cardigans, stomping around in that thing. It didn't track.

I briefly considered just leaving it. Not my problem. But then I remembered what my abuelita always said: “Un problema ignorado es un problema que se multiplica.” (An ignored problem multiplies.) She was talking about weeds in the garden, but I figure it applies to sparkly footwear too.

So, I knocked on Mr. Abernathy’s door. He opened it looking…stressed. Like, grading papers stressed.

“Mr. Abernathy,” I said, holding up the boot. “Found this in front of your classroom.”

He blinked at it. Then he blinked at me. “Is…is that Beatrice?”

Beatrice? Turns out Beatrice is Mr. Abernathy’s prize-winning miniature horse. Apparently, Beatrice sometimes gets "escorted" around the school grounds during recess for "emotional support." And wears sparkly boots. Emotional support boots. I didn't even know that was a thing.

He snatched the boot like I was holding a live grenade. “Oh, thank goodness! She gets terrible when she loses a boot. Throws a fit. Bites.”

Bites. Of course.

I just nodded, backed away slowly, and finished mopping. Honestly, my petunia problems suddenly seemed manageable. Emotional support horses with footwear issues? That’s a new level of school chaos.

Blog update will have to wait. Maybe tomorrow. Probably best not to mention the horse. I doubt anyone would believe me anyway. Just another Thursday.